Now and Forever
by Hidden Tala
Summary: Eriol and Tomoyo hate each other's guts. Then suddenly five kids from the future came crashing in their senior year in high school and claimed they're their parents. What are they going to do? Hate each other more? Or will they learn to love?
1. Pocket Watch equals Time Turner

**Disclaimer:** CardCaptor Sakura is not mine, it's owned by CLAMP. Yes, you've read right. It took me five years of therapy to finally admit that. Akira, Nami, Tama, Yuri and Yuri are mine, though. So you can't sue me for that.

**Summary:** Tomoyo and Eriol's children traveled through time by a century old pocket watch that turned out to be a time turner. They traveled back where their parents were still in school, only to find out the shocking truth… that their parents hated each others' guts! So how are they going to end up together? Will they learn to love each other? Or will they hate each other more? Read and review!

**Author's Notes: **I would like to thank my beat-reader and editor, **TeDDieZ**, for being so patient with me though I always bug her about this. I would like to dedicate this chapter to her too. Thank you very much, **TeDDieZ**.

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**Now and Forever  
**by **Hidden Tala**

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i. Dad's pocket watch is equals to a time turner**

"Venturing around the dragons' lair _again_, little sisters?" asked the amused female standing in the doorway, arms crossed firmly below her chest.

The two girls shuddered involuntarily at the sound of their sister's voice but turned around to face their doom.

"We were just-" one girl tried to explain but was crudely interrupted by a deep baritone voice coming from the doorway too.

"I won't hear a word of it," he sternly rebuked. "I told you not to wander around this part of the house. This is Dad's study, and he doesn't want us snooping around his things." He crouched down so as to be leveled with his twin sisters and he gently ruffled their dark heads. "God, you two will be the death of me. It's either with Dad skinning me alive or of high blood pressure!"

The two little girls bowed in apology at their elder brother and sister. "We're very sorry. We promise not to do it again."

The hardened features of the elder brother softened and took their little hands in his. "Come on, let's get out of here before Mum and Dad comes home. Nakuru-chan's playing with Suppi upstairs, let's go."

"Hey, look at this! It's Dad's pocket watch!" A little boy exclaimed, holding an old gadget he found on his father's desk. He opened the golden pocket watch expecting to find numbers to indicate time like normal clocks do but it was blank except for the short and long hand, immobile. "How very odd. How am I to know the time without the numbers here? It's not moving. Is this a watch?" he said to himself, eyeing the object in fascination.

"Tama, put that watch down," said the elder sister who was standing a while ago in the doorway. "Dad'll throw a fit when finds out you touched one of his collections."

"Bah!" Tama threw his arms in indifference. "It's not even a watch to begin with!" He toyed with it for a while but returned it to the desk when his eldest brother gave him a cold glare.

"Gosh, you're such a grumpy old man, Akira!" Tama, the one who played with the watch, remarked then made his way to the door.

"Come on, you guys. I wanna eat my ice cream now," said the older girl, turning to the door.

But before they could step out, a yellow light enveloped the room. All of them froze in fear.

"What's happening, Akira?" the older girl asked worriedly, eyes darting nervously from side to side.

Akira, the eldest of the five, turned to little Tama and eyed him suspiciously. "What did you now, you bloody midget?"

Tama glanced nervously around the room. "I didn't do anything, I swear!"

Remembering Tama's statement about the watch 'not being a watch', the older girl bolted upright. "The watch! What did you do to the watch? What does it look like?"

"It doesn't have numbers and-"

But he was interrupted by a vacuum-like force that swirled around the room. The golden watch gleamed and devoured the five occupants of the room. They were gone a moment too soon.

* * *

"Well, in multiplying two radicals of different orders, it is first necessary to express them as radicals of the same order. The order of the new radicals should be the LCM of the original radicals. We derive here a law raising the order of a radical. Letting _n _be the order of a radical and _c_ a positive integer greater that 1, we write,

_nth root of a a 1/n a 1/n (c/c) a c/cn cnth root of a raised to c_

Hence, we have a law a of radicals that states that in order to raise the order of a radical, multiply the order of the radicand by any chosen integer c 1 and take the cth power of the radicand.

For example, we'll multiply 2 cube root of 2a by 5 cube root of 3a squared b," Tomoyo took a glace at Sakura to check if she was still breathing. Seeing that she still does and blood's not spilt and that her beloved cousin's still wide and awake, Tomoyo demonstrated how to solve the problem.

"2 cube root of 2a times 5 cube root of 3a squared b is 10 cube root of 6a cube b. Get it? You have to multiply the numerical coefficients then proceed to the radicals. Being of the same index, you'll just have to copy them and proceed to the radicands. You see they're still not simplified, yes? Since a cube is still there, we have to get that out of the radical sign to be with the numerical coefficients thus the final answer would be - 10a cube root of 6b."

Sakura nodded grimly, beads of sweat forming in her forehead.

"Thanks, Tomoyo-chan. I'm really glad you're my best friend. I don't know what I'll do without you," Sakura said seriously, then broke out into a sheepish smile. "Syaoran-kun's good at this too but he's always complaining about my slowness in understanding Algebra… he said he'd rather capture Clow Cards and fight evil spirits than have a tutoring session with me."

Tomoyo chuckled lightly. "How predictable of Li-kun to say that! Of course he's like that because he just wanted to spend time cuddling with you and all that gooey stuff you do!"

The other girl reddened in embarrassment but laughed as well. "Well, I'd rather do that too," she said, giggling at the same time.

"Hey, I heard my name two times there; what is it, what are you talking about?" asked the chestnut-haired boy behind Sakura who was buried in his math problems. Sakura looked at him fondly then kissed his cheek making him blink in confusion. "It's nothing, Syaoran-kun. Just study your equations. Tomoyo and I will work this out."

He nodded and went back to his work.

"Hey, Clow," Syaoran called to the boy beside him, too busy to look up. "How do you solve this?" he asked, showing the other boy a particular number on his book.

"Hmm, a raised to m minus 3 times a raised to 4 minus m isn't that hard a question, Li-kun," the reincarnation of Clow Reed taunted. "You're losing touch, dear descendant."

"Oh yeah? Then what's the answer, all-knowing ancestor?" Syaoran said, throwing a disgusted look in Eriol's direction.

"You have to add the exponents first in multiplying polynomials with the same bases. M-3+4-M, you cancel out the ms because they're unlike signs and negative 3 plus a positive 4 is 1, correct? That leaves you a raised to 1 because you can't multiply exponents of the same bases. That's one of the laws of exponents, no? So the answer is a because a raised to 1 is a itself."

"Oh," Syaoran nodded, agreeing to Eriol's explanation. "I knew that."

Eriol only laughed at his descendant's reaction.

"Please settle down, everyone," their Advanced Algebra teacher announced at the door and it was followed by silence. Seeing the confused glances of his students, he shook his head. "No, I won't be giving you the exam," he said, cheers and applauses erupted in the room. "Well, not right this minute but I will in an hour." Seeing the fallen faces of his students, he chuckled softly. "So study well, my test is rather _enlightening_. Before I forget, Mr. Hiiragizawa please follow me to the Principal's office." He motioned for the dark-haired boy to the door.

Syaoran shifted to Eriol and glared at him suspiciously. "I knew it! It was you who painted the boys' bathroom in pink using magic! I knew it!"

"Hush, Syaoran-kun!" Sakura admonished her boyfriend then turned to Eriol and beamed at him. "I'm sure it's nothing Eriol-kun. Don't mind Syaoran-kun, he's just upset because you knew the answer and he didn't," she said and stuck her tongue to tease Syaoran.

Eriol chuckled lightly and went to Principal's office as ordered.

**Tsuzuku.**

* * *

"I've always been a big fan of time travel, and I'm very into the notion that some day we'll be able to do it. Beam me up!"  
-- Scott Bakula


	2. Meet the Parents

**Disclaimer:** CardCaptor Sakura is not mine, it's owned by CLAMP. Yes, you've read right. It took me five years of therapy to finally admit that. Akira, Nami, Tama, Yuri and Yuri are mine, though. So you can't sue me for that.

**Summary:** Tomoyo and Eriol's children traveled through time by a century old pocket watch that turned out to be a time turner. They traveled back where their parents were still in school, only to find out the shocking truth… that their parents hated each others' guts! So how are they going to end up together? Will they learn to love each other? Or will they hate each other more? Read and review!

**Author's Notes:** First and foremost, I would like to thank my first three readers. I know, I know, they're not too many but they wanted me to keep going and in my humblest opinion, that is more than enough. I'd also like to thank my sister, **Pia**, for helping make this story by giving me her wacky ideas. Thanks, sis! To **TeDDieZ** too, thank you for editing my story! I wouldn't make it without you two:)

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**Now and Forever  
**by **Hidden Tala**

**ii. Meet the Parents**

Looking around, scanning his environment, Akira turned to his brother and sisters to check if they were alright. Founding all of them safe and sound, he heaved a great sigh of relief.

"Where are we, Akira-niichan?" asked the little blue-eyed girl with soft dark curls.

"We're in Seijou, Yumi-chan," he answered, his own violet eyes examining the surroundings.

"Tama, how many times did you stroke the clock? Was it counterclockwise or clockwise?" the older sister asked faintly.

"Two times. Counterclockwise."

Her knees buckled that made her slump down. "Great, we're twenty years before the present."

"What? What are you talking about, Nami?" Akira asked in confusion.

"Tama stroked the watch twice. One full stroke is equals to ten years. And he said _twice, _you understand the math now, Akira? And he said he moved it counterclockwise, meaning - to turn back. Akira, that's not a watch. That's Dad's time turner!"

The two brothers turned white in her revelation.

"You mean we're transported back 20 years before our time?" Tama croaked, his eyes watering.

Nami, the elder sister, nodded hesitantly.

"Akira-niichan, what are you all talking about? Where's Mommy?" asked the little girl with purple eyes.

"We'll find her, Yuri-chan. We'll find her," assured the teenager, though uncertain, he still kept a firm front.

He sat down the bench and furrowed his brows in deep concentration while Nami and Tama looked at him expectantly.

"Mom's 35 back in the future, right?" he asked to nobody but received a small 'yes' from his sister Nami.

He let out a sharp breath to calm his rattled nerves. "Alright, I have a plan."

Nami and Tama circled themselves around Akira as he explained the whole procedure to the two of them. The twins were busy talking about something so he left them as they were. Akira instructed that Tama and Nami would hold the twins so they won't go ballistic inside the school's premises.

After 15 minutes of discussion and brainstorming, he stood up with Tama and Nami behind him.

"No one will utter a word. I will do all the talking," Akira said dismissively. He took the twins' hands in his and entered the familiar grounds of Seijou High.

* * *

"So, you're Hiiragizawa-san's cousins, correct?" the Principal asked, examining the five children with a scrutinizing gaze. He was answered with five identical nods. "He's expecting your arrival, then?" 

"No, sir," said the tallest boy of the Hiiragizawa children. "We just arrived from China. Our parents died in an accident two days ago and we have no family left but… E-Eriol-kun. We did not try to call him in advance because he might not accept us so we all decided to come here without notice and leave him no choice."

Principal Nakajima nodded at the kids. He smiled sympathetically to them and said, "My deepest condolences to your family, Hiiragizawa-kun. We already called for your cousin, he will be here shortly."

As if on cue, the door opened and entered the young Eriol Hiiragizawa. The three older children gawked while the twins squealed as they saw their father's form in his teenage years. Eriol roused a delicate eyebrow at them. Turning towards the principal, he politely asked, "You called for me, Nakajima-sensei?"

Nakajima nodded gravely at Eriol. "Hai, Hiiragizawa-san." The principal gestured towards the Hiiragizawa children with his neck. "I am deeply sorry for your loss, Hiiragizawa-kun," Principal Nakajima told Akira and his brother and sisters.

Confused beyond words, Eriol spoke, "Are you like an unknown relative of mine?"

Deciding to give them the privacy, Nakajima stood up and walked to the door. He reached the doorknob but paused and looked directly at Eriol. "Hiiragizawa-san, I'll leave you now with your cousins. I hope you choose the right thing. Goodbye." The door closed.

Now that was weird. What the hell was that? What right thing? And cousins? He's the only Hiiragizawa in the world!

Eriol stared at the five children in front of him; two boys and three girls. "What the-" he started but was interrupted by two little girls who ran to him and hugged his legs. "Daddy!" exclaimed the two girls in unison.

Eriol froze in his spot. _What_ did they just call him? _Daddy? _What the hell is happening here?

"I see your confusion and discomfort, E-Eriol-san," said the tallest boy, uncomfortable to say his father's first name. "But we're more puzzled than you are."

"Daddy, will you carry me? Akira-niichan and Nami-neechan won't do it but will you?" the little girl with familiar violet eyes and shoulder length dark hair gave him a puppy-eyed look.

The other girl on his right leg tugged at his pants and said, "Me too, Daddy. I want to be carried too!"

Eriol, unsure of himself, kneeled to be level their eyes and then patted their heads lightly. "Later, angels. I need to talk to them first," he said, smiling gently at twins. The two girls pouted cutely and hugged him tightly. Eriol gave them another kind smile as he stood up.

"You," Eriol pointed to the tallest boy in the room. "Explain yourself."

Akira gave a defeated sigh. "Why is it always me? Why don't you ask your troublesome son there? He's the reason why we're here," he said, pointing towards little Tama.

The little boy ran towards Eriol and hugged his waist. "I'm sorry, Daddy. I didn't mean to mess with your pocket watch. I thought it was broken!" the little boy, Tama, cried to his father.

"Wait a damn minute!" Eriol exclaimed; confusion etched in his young face. "Why are you calling me your father? I'm not even married yet!"

The quiet girl beside Akira sighed. "Of course you're not married yet! You were married 4 years later, well, at least in this time. And to answer your question about us calling you father… it's because you're _our_ father! We're from the future, to point out the obvious."

"What! How can that be?"

"Magic," Nami simply replied then flopped down the couch.

"But I'm not using magic anymore!"

"Dad, tell that to the marines," Akira said coolly, flopping down the couch beside his sister.

"How did this happen?"

"We found Yuri and Yumi in your study, y'know they love to make you crazy there. Tama found your century old pocket watch and found it wasn't working then he toyed with it only to find out later that it was a blasted time turner," Nami said, flipping her long lustrous hair from her side to the back as she glared at her little brother. "That troublesome Tama, yes, the one wetting your shirt, messed up the pocket watch so here we are, stuck in your so-called 'heydays'."

"What heydays?" Tama released himself from Eriol and went to his brother and sister, who were sitting on the couch, making himself comfortable on it as well.

Nami rolled her eyes. "Oh, the one you keep on telling us since Akira and me were babies – the year how you bagged Mum down, how many girls who want to date you and stuff – really, my ears are getting tired of hearing it everyday."

"I did that?" Eriol can't help the goofy grin that's beginning to spread on his face. "Well, it's true though. I'm one of the sought after guys in the campus."

"Yeah right, Dad," the two elder siblings said in unison, rolling their eyes heavenwards.

Wiping the silly grin off of his face, he turned towards them and asked, "So, you're really from the future?"

"Yes." was their only simple reply.

"I see."

"Daddy, Daddy, will you carry me now?" the little girl with dark blue eyes, asked pouting cutely. "Me too, Daddy! Me too!" said the other.

Eriol reluctantly complied.

* * *

"Hey, Eriol-kun! You were a bit… _agitated_ in Advanced Algebra, was it that bad?" Sakura asked, worried about her friend and her exam. If Eriol found the exam difficult, she should be anxious about it too but she doesn't feel it at all. _Maybe, I got it all wrong_, she thought, panicking. "You don't look so good, Eriol-kun. Maybe you should go to the Hospital Wing." 

"Iie, Sakura-san," he said, waving it off. "I'm just a little tired. Can we talk at the music room? I've something to show you. Oh, and bring my little descendant too."

She reluctantly nodded then smiled. "Okay, we'll be there in a minute."

He had gone to the music room where his children were currently lodging. _His children. _Bloody hell. Opening the door, he saw his oldest son, Akira, playing the piano. On Akira's side, was Nami playing the flute. The three little buggers were sprawled on the floor, below the blackboard, chattering animatedly about something. They were his children alright.

He cleared his throat to gather their attentions. "Listen, Sakura and Syaoran will arrive any minute now. We will discuss how to get you back… in the future. And also, your lodging and stuff."

The twins, Yuri and Yumi, shrieked happily. "Uncle Syaoran will bring us chocolates! Yay!"

Eriol visibly sweat dropped.

"Syaoran-kun, just open the door! He's not plotting your death! Just open it!" An irritated female voice was heard outside.

"No! What if he's concocting another plan to embarrass me in front of the whole school? No! I won't do it!" was the adamant reply.

Eriol inwardly sighed then decided to open the door for his two friends. "Konnichiwa, Syaoran-kun, Sakura-san," he greeted politely. "No, I'm afraid I'm not up to something, sad to say dear descendant. I have a very big problem in my hands and I want the two of you to help me."

The Li Clan leader and his beloved Card Mistress shared a look then entered the room locking the door after them. They found five dark-haired children staring back at them with interest. "Who are they, Eriol-kun? They look so much like you! Especially her!" Sakura pointed to the tallest girl with the eyeglasses.

One of the twins tugged at Syaoran's pants making him look down and what he saw was a little girl with arms wide opened telling him to carry her. He did. "Where's my chocolate, Uncle Syao-Syao?"

Syaoran looked aghast. "_What_ did you just call me?"

The girl grinned babyishly. "Uncle Syao-Syao, silly! You're my uncle Syao-Syao!"

Syaoran threw Eriol a suspicious glance then put the girl down. "What the hell is this, Hiiragizawa? You kidnapped 5 kids and you want us to help you? Then you manipulated her to call me 'Syao-Syao'? No way. No bloody way."

"I did not kidnap them. They're my children," he bluntly replied.

"Yeah right and Sakura's pregnant," he said sarcastically, ignoring Sakura's smack on his shoulder. "What do you take me for?"

"I told you the truth, they're my children. They came from the future."

"Well," Sakura said, observing the five children, "they sure look a lot like you,"

Syaoran examined the kids too. He swallowed hard after observing the kids. They sure look like Eriol and just the thought of little Hiiragizawas populating the world and the sight of them here gives him the Goosebumps. "Fine, Clow, tell us what happened," Syaoran sat down, bringing Sakura along with him.

After retelling the story of why and how they came to the present, the Hiiragizawa children introduced themselves one by one.

"I'm Akira Hiiragizawa, 16, senior year in Seijou High," said the tallest boy with hair as dark as Eriol's but his eyes weren't covered with glasses and it was a deep purple.

"Nami, 15, a junior from the same school," chimed the girl beside Akira. She had long dark hair that was curly at the end, her eyes were covered with thick lenses and it was a color like Eriol's.

"Tama, 11 years old, freshman, Seijou," a smaller boy called out. His hair was the same color with Nami's and his eyes were deeper purple, deeper than his brother's.

"I'm Yuri and I'm this many," the little girl held up four fingers to show them.

"Am I'm Yumi. I'm this many too! We're twins!" Both girls have curly shoulder-length hair that was dark as Eriol's. Their eyes are different, though. Yuri had purple eyes like Tama's and Yumi had his father's.

"Wow. They all look like you, Eriol-kun." Sakura watched Eriol's children in awe. "They're so beautiful!"

Syaoran nodded. "I hate to agree but yeah, they do. It must come from the mother. Surely, Clow's genes cannot be capable to be that fortunate looking."

"Speaking of the mother, who is it? Who's your mother?" Sakura asked the kids.

"I'm really sorry but I don't share the same sentiment, Kotaro-kun," a female voice on the other side of the door interrupted their discussion. "No! Please don't touch me!"

"Shit, another of Tomoyo's fan club." Syaoran cursed under his breath and stood up to help the girl.

Hearing this, Akira stood up and yanked the door open. He saw the man holding Tomoyo on the wrist as if he was forcing her to go with him. Akira's blood grew cold. "Get your damned hands off her," he seethed, giving the other guy a cold menacing glare.

"And who are you to tell me what to do?" the man arrogantly demanded.

Sensing danger, Syaoran decided to join the party. "Shigekazu," he called Tomoyo's obsessed admirer. "I told you to stay away from Tomoyo." The man unconsciously released his grip on Tomoyo.

Kotaro Shigekazu sneered at the respectable Li Syaoran. "Why would I do that? She's mine and mine alone. So you," he said, jabbing a finger on Akira's chest, "you stay away from her or I'll kill you."

Akira, having quick reflexes as his father, grabbed Kotaro's arm and gripped it hard, meaning to break it effortlessly. "I'd love to see you try." Kotaro winced in pain but Akira ignored it.

"Akira, stop it. You'll break his arm." His father called out, calmly though, as if he doesn't want his eldest to stop.

Acknowledging his father, Akira released his death grip on Kotaro's arm. "If you lay a finger on her again, you'll regret you were ever born," he threatened menacingly.

Kotaro didn't reply but gave his opponent a hateful look then scampered away.

Heaving a sigh of relief, Syaoran put an arm around Tomoyo's shoulder. "Are you all right, Tomoyo?" he concernedly asked.

Tomoyo nodded hastily, still shocked from the incident. She then turned to Akira and bowed at him graciously. "Thank you, sir, for protecting me from Kotaro-kun."

Akira was still tense from the little fight but when she spoke, his shoulders sagged and his eyes softened. "It's okay, it was my job." Tomoyo smiled at him gratefully, leaving him awestruck at her beauty.

"What are you doing here, anyway?" Syaoran queried, looking at Tomoyo.

"I was supposed to have a choir practice today, but," she took a look around the room and found none of her choir mates, "I guess it was cancelled."

"Well, come on in," Syaoran invited as he went inside. "Clow here found himself in a funny predicament."

Tomoyo glided in and Akira followed suit. The moment she entered, the twins scrambled to their feet and jumped themselves in Tomoyo's arms. "Mommy!" they both cried.

"Mommy?" The four inhabitants of the present time said at the same time. They all blinked comically.

The twins nodded enthusiastically and hugged her tightly.

Silence.

The silence was broken by Sakura and Syaoran's fits of laughter. Eriol and Tomoyo stared dumbly at each other.

"She… she's your mother?" Eriol asked incredulously. He received nods from his children.

"If she's your mother, I can't be your father!" he cried in indignation.

It was met by another round of laughter by Sakura and Syaoran.

It was Tomoyo's turn to look aghast. "What the hell is happening here! Why are you people calling me mother!"

The twins giggled babyishly in her arms. "Because you're Mommy, silly!" said the purple-eyed girl.

Tomoyo held a chair for support. She inhaled and exhaled then nodded. "Okay. I'll be your Mommy," she said cheerfully to the little girls.

Eriol, Sakura and Syaoran looked at her warily. "Okay, she's taking it rather maturely," Sakura said dryly, eyeing Tomoyo suspiciously. "That's good, isn't it? At least she's not hysterical like when she missed an episode of The O.C."

The twins bounced off their mother's grasp and went to terrorize their brother's and sister who were observing the scene thoughtfully. Eriol took her by the elbow and led her to a corner.

"Why are you taking this lightly? Do you know about this?" he asked suspiciously.

Tomoyo crossed her arms in her breast. "No, I haven't had the foggiest," she said, lifting an arrogant chin.

"Then why aren't you reacting like a normal person! We're marrying in the future for God's sake! We're having these five children!" he hissed, arms frantically waving at the kid's direction.

Tomoyo laughed sardonically. "Silly man you are, Hiiragizawa. There's no way in hell I'm marrying the _likes_ of you! God, I'd rather eat live slugs! I'll be waking from my dream any minute now, ten seconds from now," she said, tapping her foot lightly on the floor.

She said it rather loudly so the two, Sakura and Syaoran, again, erupted into gales of laughter.

Eriol sighed exasperatedly. "Tomoyo, you're not dreaming. This is real. Pinch yourself, if you must, but this is _real_."

"Why should I pinch myself? This isn't true!"

"It is!"

"Oh yeah? There's only one way to find out!"

WAPAK!

"Damn! You broke my nose!"

Tomoyo stared at the fist she used in punching Eriol. His cheek felt real. And her hand was a little numb by the impact. _No. This isn't happening to me,_ she wailed mentally.

"This is real! Get that through your thick skull, woman!" he rasped exhaustedly. "Whatever came over me when I proposed to you! I must've been drunk!"

"Actually," Akira's lazy drawl interrupted their heated argument. "Uncle Syaoran told us that Mum was drunk when she said yes to you."

Tomoyo gasped. "You seduced me, you awful bastard!"

"Hey! I don't even want to be married to you!"

"And what makes you think _I_ do!"

"ENOUGH!" Akira's authoritative voice startled the bickering pair. He stood up, taking along his sister, Nami. "Dad, let us talk to Mum about this then we will proceed to the living arrangements," Nami calmly said. Eriol only nodded and sat down to the nearest chair, grumbling to himself.

For the nth time, the two older siblings explained their situation. There were times when Tomoyo would start fidgeting but Akira usually calms her down. When the story was over; Tomoyo let out a mournful moan of "Why him?" to herself.

Nami giggled happily. "I don't know, Mum. Dad always tells us that you fell from the Hiiragizawa charm."

"What Hiiragizawa charm! There's nothing charming about that idiot!" she spat out, disgusted.

Akira sighed. "We don't know, Mum. But Dad's rather a bighead about it."

"Mommy, can we go home now? I'm hungry… I want chocolate but Uncle Syao-Syao didn't bring one!" They were interrupted by Yuri's tugging on Tomoyo's arm. When she laid eyes on Yuri, she saw her eyes staring back at her. Those were her eyes in Yuri's. Her panicked amethyst softened at her 'daughter'. "What's your name, honey?" Tomoyo asked softly.

"I'm Yuri and there's Yumi," the little girl pointed to the sleeping girl on Tama's lap. "Why? Are you confused about us again?"

Tomoyo nodded, smiling hesitantly at the little girl.

Sensing his mother's changed behavior towards Yuri, Akira took this as a good sign. "Hiiragizawas, get your butts over here. We will discuss our living arrangement," he announced to get everyone's attention. Tama carried the sleeping Yumi and Sakura and Syaoran followed too. Eriol remained seated on his chair, staring into nothingness.

"That includes you too, Dad," Nami called in a singsong voice.

Eriol grumbled in response.

* * *

"Tama, Nami and Yumi, you lot will go with Dad," Akira instructed his little siblings. Yuri's mouth was poised to argue but Akira was faster. "No. There's no way I'll let you two to raise havoc in this time. Yuri, you will go with Mum." 

Nami's eyes were narrowed to slits. "And you? You're staying with whom?" she demanded, her chin rose arrogantly like her mother's were.

Akira grinned idiotically. "With her, of course!"

"Unfair! You go with Dad! I'll go with Mum to the Daidouji Mansion!" Nami crossed her arms to her chest.

"No, _you_ will go with Dad. _I'll_ go with Mum." Akira said with finality in his tone.

"You're such a pig, you know that?" Nami spat, glaring at her older brother.

Feeling the tension brewing in the air, Tomoyo decided to play referee. "Okay guys, we will just have to take turns so that everyone can go to the Hiiragizawa Manor and our house. How long will they be here anyway?"

"Minimum of 3 months," Eriol said flatly.

"WHAT!" Eight minus the twins exclaimed.

Eriol nodded grimly. "Yes, it will take 3 months or more. We can't use the Time Card for it merely freezes time or transport you back to the past or go the future. It can't let you stay there for long or let alone live there because it needs the Mistress' energy, Sakura's energy. We have to make a time turner or a time machine… or find one if there's such a thing."

Akira's brow jolted. "You mean you don't have it yet?"

"No. I told you, I'm not using magic anymore."

"Shut up, Eriol." The three inhabitants of the present said in chorus.

**Tsuzuku.**

* * *

"Never ever doubt in Magic. The purest honest thoughts come from children, ask any child if they believe in magic and they will tell you the truth."  
-- Scott Dixon 

"It is important to remember that we all have magic inside us."  
-- Joanne Kathleen Rowling


	3. The Daidouji Mansion

**Disclaimer:** CardCaptor Sakura is not mine, it's owned by CLAMP. Yes, you've read right. It took me five years of therapy to finally admit that. Akira, Nami, Tama, Yuri and Yuri are mine, though. So you can't sue me for that. The song I used in this chapter, _Someone's Waiting for You_, isn't mine either.

**Summary:** Tomoyo and Eriol's children traveled through time by a century old pocket watch that turned out to be a time turner. They traveled back where their parents were still in school, only to find out the shocking truth… that their parents hated each others' guts! So how are they going to end up together? Will they learn to love each other? Or will they hate each other more? Read and review!

**Author's Notes:** Hmm, you guys are already warming up, eh? I received ten reviews for chapter two and I'm really really happy that you guys like my work! Thank you so much! You don't know how you made my day!

To _Ishari_, I'm really sorry but I don't speak/understand Spanish! Sorry… But thank you so much for reading my story.

**Dedication: **I would like to dedicate this chapter to these readers who added **Now and Forever** to their favorites: _Aneko-chan_, _GuardianAngelLisa_, _Miko-mistress_, _SanzoGirl_and_TeDDieZ_. Thank you so much!

**

* * *

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**Now and Forever  
**by **Hidden Tala**

**iii. The Daidouji Mansion**

Akira insisted they would all walk their mother to the Daidouji Mansion including their unwilling and stubborn father, who kept on muttering about 'inconvenience', 'my house's in south and hers is in north' and 'this is pointless' under his breath with little Yumi sleeping in his arms. Little Yuri was holding her mother's right hand as they walked in silence ahead of her older siblings, Yumi and their father. Akira, Tama and Nami were walking side by side with Eriol who was too busy boring a hole in Tomoyo's head by glaring at her.

"Dad, why are glaring at Mum like that?" Tama innocently asked; his brow rose in confusion.

Eriol only gave him a withering glance.

Nami chuckled lightly but immediately shut her mouth when Eriol gave her a glare that would've made Li Syaoran proud.

"What are you guys talking about? I heard you call me back there," Tomoyo asked, glancing at them.

"Nothing, Mum," Akira answered dismissively. "They were just saying that Dad would've already counted every strand of hair in your head by the looks he's giving you."

Nami and Tama stifled their laughs by covering it with loud coughs when Eriol glared at them.

"Huh," was Tomoyo'sunintelligent reply.

They walked on for another ten minutes in silencethen theyfound themselves standing at the front gate of the Daidouji Mansion.

"Okay, you guys, this is our stop," Tomoyo said, taking Akira and Yuri beside her. The remaining Hiiragizawas said 'hai' in reply.

Biting her lower lip, a sign that she was debating about something with herself, she hesitantly opened her mouth and said, "Okay. Don't forget to brush-"

"-our teeth before going to bed and pray before we sleep. We know, Mum." Nami and Tama finished her sentence knowingly, rolling their eyes at the same time.

"Right," she agreed hesitatingly. She bent to kiss the children who were going with Eriol without the exception of little Yumi who was sleeping peacefully in her father's arms. "Go home safely, alright?"

Eriol's foul mood has lightened up and his frown was replaced by a grin that was Cheshire. "What about me? Don't I get a goodbye kiss too?" He asked, pouting for effect.

Tomoyo gave him a pointed look that told him to 'go to hell' without the words being said. "You wish, Hiiragizawa."

* * *

"Mom, will it be alright if I let an exchange student stay in our house for a while? He-" she stopped, interrupted by her mother's huffing noises that sounded like a complete disapproval. "Mom, he's a guy and he's kind! He saved me from Kotaro-kun… No, I'm alright. He stopped bugging me after that. Akira has a four-year-old little sister too, Mom. Can you let them stay? Please, Mom? Please? I really like his sister, please?"

There was a pregnant pause then an affirming yes followed from the busy businesswoman.

"Really? You mean it?" She smiled to the receiver. "Thanks Mom! I'll be a good host to them! I promise! Bye! Take care!"

Tomoyo sighed after shutting the phone off. She slumped down to her room's sofa thinking about the day's heart-stopping events. First, she was harassed _again _by Kotaro Shigekazu then was saved by an unknown man whom, she later found out, was her eldest son coming from the future. And to top it all, she's marrying Eriol Hiiragizawa. _Eriol Hiiragizawa_, for Christ's sake! Why did it have to be that know-it-all, good for nothing bastard! She pushed thoughts of him away to prevent herself from committing murder… or suicide.

She has already explained to her maidservants about her two guests but did not dare tell them that they were her children from the future. _Who would believe her anyway?_ She told also told them that there might be three kids who will come by or live in the mansion on the coming weeks or months so they must not be surprised and that they must treat the guests well.

She was about to go to her bed to sleep when she heard a soft knock on her door.

"Coming!"

When she opened the mahogany-colored door, she found a tired and scowling Akira looking at her. "Can Yuri stay with you tonight, Mum? She's crying nonstop because she's not used sleeping without Yumi beside her."

Tomoyo hesitated for a second. She's not used sharing her bed with anyone. But hell, this is her daughter!She would do anything for her little daughter! She immediately let go of any thoughts about feeling uncomfortable. "Okay. Can you carry her for me here?"

"Sure."

Five minutes later, Akira brought a sleepy and tear-streaked Yuri inside Tomoyo's room. She instructed Akira to put Yuri on the bed beside her and told him to stay there for a while longer.

"Mommy, why do we have to live far from Daddy?" Yuri asked, hugging her mother's waist.

"Umm, you see, we're still studying and it won't look good if we live together. We're still young and people will talk about us, you know, they will spread rumors about us…" she rambled, hoping that Yuri would understand somehow.

"'Kay," she yawned sleepily, not really listening to her mother's mindless babble. "Sing me to sleep, Mommy. I really miss Yumi-chan."

"What do you want me to sing, Yuri-chan?" Tomoyo smoothed her daughter's hair to make her sleep.

"'Always keep a little prayer in your pocket and you're sure to see the light. Soon there'll be joy and happiness…'" Yuri sang few lines from the song she wanted her mother to sing, the song she used to sing to her back in the future. Tomoyo smiled to herself. Yuri had a good singing voice. She was her daughter alright.

Caressing Yuri's hair gently, Tomoyo began to sing a song her mother used to sing for her too when she was feeling alone and sad.

"'_Be brave little one,_  
_Make a wish for each sad little tear._  
_Hold your head up_,  
_Though no one is near,_  
_Someone's waiting for you._  
_Don't cry little one,_  
_There'll be a smile where a frown used to be._  
_You'll be part of the love that you see_  
_Someone's waiting for you._  
_Always keep a little prayer in your pocket_  
_And you're sure to see the light._  
_Soon there'll be joy and happiness_  
_And your little world will be bright._  
_Have faith little one,_  
_Till your hopes and your wishes come true._  
_You must try to be brave little one,_  
_Someone's waiting to love you…'"_

Tomoyo ended the song with a soft hum. She found Yuri snoring softly and sound asleep on her lap but she was surprised to find Akira sleeping on the couch as well. She tucked little Yuri under the covers then she went to the couch to wake her sleeping son.

"Akira, wake up." She gently shook Akira's shoulder to wake him.

Akira rubbed his eyes sleepily and found Tomoyo's blurred face staring at him.

"I'll go to bed, Mum," Akira said sleepily, standing up while rubbing his eyes.

"You do just that, _son of mine_," she replied cheerily. "Get it? _Son? Son of mine?_" She laughed at her own joke while Akira just rolled his eyes to himself.

"Night, Mum," he waved absently when he was on the door. "Love you."

The laugh died in her throat when she heard him say the three little words she thought she could never bring herself to say or even imagine, ever. Her amethysteyes softened at her son's retreating figure, feeling a sudden longing for his company.

She knew it was too soon to feel such strong affection for someone you just met but she felt it and she knew in her heart, it was true; what she felt for him was true. So she opened herself to the world and let the words flow from her mouth. "Love you too, Akira."

**Tsuzuku.**

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"Of course if you like your kids, if you love them from the moment they begin, you yourself begin all over again, in them, with them, and so there is something more to the world again."  
-- William Saroyan 


	4. The Hiiragizawa Manor

**Disclaimer:** CardCaptor Sakura is not mine, it's owned by CLAMP. Yes, you've read right. It took me five years of therapy to finally admit that. Akira, Nami, Tama, Yuri and Yuri are mine, though. So you can't sue me for that.

**Summary:** Tomoyo and Eriol's children traveled through time by a century old pocket watch that turned out to be a time turner. They traveled back where their parents were still in school, only to find out the shocking truth… that their parents hated each others' guts! So how are they going to end up together? Will they learn to love each other? Or will they hate each other more? Read and review!

**Author's Notes:** Need not worry, my beloved readers. I am still alive and breathing. I will certainly continue this lovey, that's for sure. I'm just sorry that this chapter has been delayed for a week. I'd like to thank those who reviewed for they kept me going. Thank you very much.

**Dedication:** As promised, I dedicate this chapter to **Tiffany** for the words of encouragement and the beautiful gift of friendship.

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**Now and Forever**  
by **Hidden Tala**

**iv. The Hiiragizawa Manor**

Eriol's welcome party was standing at the front porch of the Hiiragizawa Manor with the very hyper Nakuru jumping up and down in unsuppressed glee and Spinel floating in the air grumbling about the other guardian being lame-brained and stupid. The feline look-a-like plushie flew to his creator, leaving the hyperactive Ruby Moon squealing like a distressed banshee all by herself.

Nami and Tama, as if expecting Nakuru's hyperactive-ness, only mumbled incoherent sentences to themselves.

Spinel greeted his creator the moment he reached the gate, sending questioning glances to the other kids but Eriol remained oblivious to it. "Spinel Sun, do tell Nakuru to add three plates for our dinner," Eriol regarded his floating little guardian but still looked at the sleeping girl in his arms.

"Yes, Master Eriol," the little guardian said quietly and remained floating waiting for an explanation.

Eriol waved him off but promised him full explanations inside the house; he just needed to lay the girl down because his muscles were already aching.

Spinel obeyed but with a little grumbling at first. The little Moon guardian told the giddy Nakuru of their Master's order and before he could finish the last word that was formed in his mouth, she snatched him from air and dashed into the kitchen in a lightning speed.

At this display, the Hiiragizawas, minus Yumi, could only sweat-drop in lack of any intelligent remark.

"I take it she felt your presence before I ever did, judging from her sudden giddiness," Eriol murmured to himself, scowling a little bit.

"Why? _Doesn't_ she always act like that?" Tama asked incredulously, looking at Eriol as if he'd grown two heads.

Eriol raised an inquisitive brow. "Why? _Does_ she always like _that_ in the future?"

"Of course," Tama replied airily as if it's nothing of importance. "She's not Nakuru-chan if she _isn't_ like _that_. Why, Dad? Isn't she that happy all the time?"

Eriol shook his head. "She's only like that when she sees Touya-kun. Sometimes she's also like that when she feeds Spinel with sweets but that's a rare occasion since he already mastered the art of hiding."

Nami dramatically stopped in her tracks when she heard the word 'Touya' rolled out from her father's tongue. Her face dramatically glowed in pink and yellow; her eyes had stars and hearts pulsating as if it were alive. And she had that look in her face like Christmas has gone early. "Uncle Touya…" she murmured dreamily, both hands clamped in her heart. She let out a breathy sigh and a shaky breath.

Both the father and son could only raise quizzical brows at her.

"Uncle Touya…" she repeated in the same dreamy gesture, ignoring the weird looks her father and brother were giving her.

Tama wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Eeww."

"What're you-" Eriol started but was interrupted by Nami's loud screeching.

"Oh! I wanna meet Uncle Touya now!" She squealed girlishly and hovered excited glances to her father and younger brother. "I'm so sure he looked like a god the last time I saw him and now… he'd look so divine in his younger form! Oh, I swear, I could just die!"

Eriol gave his son a baffled and startled look. "Is it me or have I just met Nakuru's reincarnation in my daughter's body?"

Tama shrugged happily. "I think Nakuru-chan passed on her obsession in Uncle Touya to Nami, Dad. Nami's really fond of her or was it the other way around? I really have no idea."

They all arrived at the large front door of the Hiiragizawa Manor. Both boys could've sworn that they heard plates crashing and some yelling from a muffled voice. Nami was still in her own world sighing and ooh-ing about Touya. Eriol softly knocked on the door but reminded himself to have a little talk with his creations about good manners when they have visitors.

It took ten seconds or so before someone opened the door. And they were all greeted by a very loud:

"WAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIII!"

The two boys took a step backward unconsciously except for Nami who stayed where she was, smiling happily to herself, lost inside her own dream world.

Nakuru grinned widely when she saw the two dark-headed kids standing there and eyed them like a predator to a prey but the smile widened even more that it nearly reached her ears when she saw the sleeping girl in her Master's arms. She clasped her two hands on her cheeks as she cooed at Nami who gladly obliged her since Eriol wouldn't let her near the sleeping girl.

"I knew it! I knew it!" Nakuru exclaimed, jumping excitedly. "I felt Eriol's power multiply a while ago! I knew it!"

"Keep your voice low, Ruby Moon," he warned, rocking the stirring girl in his arms. "Yumi might wake up with you screaming like a deprived hippopotamus."

"Oh! Oh! Look how pretty she is!" she crooned, watching the little girl sleep peacefully.

She went to terrorize little Tama who was trying to hide behind Eriol. "Ooooh," she cooed, pinching Tama's cheek. "You look so much like Tomoyo-chan!"

Nakuru wrinkled her brows in deep thought with her index finger pointing her chin. "But aren't you guys Mizuki-sensei's kids?"

Tension, somehow, had found its way and quickly filled the room.

Eriol visibly cringed at the mention of the long ago forgotten teacher. His children, Nami and Tami stiffened for a reason quite different from their father's. They weren't expecting any other girl's name but their mother's.

"Iie," Nami answered uneasily, finally free from her reverie. "We're Daidouji Tomoyo's children."

Nakuru's eyes widened momentarily but she quickly recovered from the shock. "Gomen ne, I guess I'm getting a little old to not see these things," she said, smiling at Nami and Tama.

The tension in the air finally evaporated when Yumi finally woke from her sleep. She yawned sleepily then blinked a several times before zeroing in on her gaze to her father's eyes who had the same color as hers. "Daddy," she said, pouting a little bit. "Where is Yuri-chan? She's not here."

"Honey, she's with Mommy now." He mentally slapped himself for not finding a better excuse. "Don't worry, we'll see her tomorrow," he assured, silently wishing that the girl won't cry.

"Where is Mommy, Daddy?" Yumi asked, eyes blinking innocently.

"She's in her house, eating," Eriol answered simply.

"Let's go there," she said shakily, resting her head on his chest. "I want to see Mommy."

"Dad," Nami called, tapping Eriol's shoulder urgently. "If you don't have anything to say to us, I will already retire to my room. Yumi'll start crying in about five minutes and I really don't want to take part of a mind-numbing experience. Ja."

Before Eriol could reply, both sister and brother were already out of sight. Then he heard a loud consecutive banging of the doors on the second floor.

Then as if to prove herself to her father and to the world, Yumi began wailing a little bit violently five minutes later. Eriol's pleading never stopped her.

"Yumi-chan! Look what I got you!" Nakuru grinned happily at her young Mistress. She grabbed Spinel, who was accidentally passing by, and held it to Yumi's face. "Isn't he cute?"

Spinel's mournful muffled cries were completely and ruthlessly ignored.

Yumi sniffed and flailed her arms to Nakuru and Eriol was only very happy to oblige. He then made his very graceful exit, running like a mice being chased by a big hungry Tom. "See? She likes me!" She announced proudly to Spinel who only glared in response, still trying to wiggle out from Nakuru's grasp but to no avail.

"What do you want to eat, Yumi-chan?" she asked, rocking the girl to stop crying.

"(sniff) I want (sniff) chocolate (sniff). Uncle Syao-Syao didn't (sniff) bring me one (sniff)." Yumi pouted cutely then she hugged the older girl's neck very tightly.

Nakuru, hearing Syaoran's new nickname, giggled mercilessly. "Oh, all right. I'll give you chocolate but promise me you won't cry anymore, ok?"

Yumi looked thoughtful for a moment and seconds later she nodded her head enthusiastically.

Nakuru's smile widened, baring her pearly white teeth. "What do you want, Godiva, Cadbury, Lindt, or Hershey's?"

* * *

Promises are made to be broken, all right. 

Later that night, when Eriol was getting ready to sleep, an ear splitting wail on the other side of manor echoed in the whole house, loud enough to wake everyone up including the dead. One word. _Nakuru's quarters_. Drat, make that two. He groaned in displeasure and covered his ears with his pillow. The loud wailing business went on for another thirty minutes and it wasn't planning to stop. Then he heard a soft knock on his door but he was too afraid to get up to see who it was especially if it was Nakuru giving up on the babysitting.

"Dad, it's just me," a male voice said from the other side of the door.

Sighing in defeat, he stood up and opened it. "What is it?" he asked, yawning largely.

Tama entered his room sullenly and sat Indian style on the bed. "Aren't you going to make Yumi stop? She's crying for an hour now."

Eriol sighed dejectedly. "I-I don't know how to make her stop, Tama," he answered with all the honesty in his being. "You see, I'm scared of kids. I don't think I even want to have one, let alone marry… I'm not really fatherly, Tama. I'm sorry."

"No! You're very fatherly to me, to us! You love us! You're very strict but you can also be funny if you want to," his young son argued. "You love Mum very much. Though you do fight often... you kiss and make up in the end."

Tama's lower lip trembled slightly and it freaked Clow's reincarnation more. Clueless to the whole comforting thing that fathers do, he put an arm around Tama's shoulder and gave him a brotherly pat on the back. Tama sniffed trying to control himself then gave Eriol a toothy grin.

Eriol was blinded for a moment. He thought he saw Tomoyo right there on his bed, in his room. He blinked owlishly and saw that it was Tama with Tomoyo's face, eyes and the billion-dollar smile. Tama was Tomoyo's male version. He looked so much like his mother.

_Tomoyo. Tama's mother. His wife. _

"Come on, Dad. Let's wake Nami up, she'll take care of Yumi and make her stop." Tama already made his way out to Nami's room, which was beside Eriol's.

"Nami! Wake up! Yumi's going diva again!" Tama pounded loudly on the door. No answer. He pounded again, this time with his foot.

He heard numerous curses and the shuffling of sheets from the other side of the door. Nami yanked the door open with brutal force and showed herself in a disheveled state, tousled hair and bloodshot eyes. She also forgot to wear her 375 grade eyeglasses that made Tama blurry in her vision. "What the bloody hell do you want from me, Tama!"

"Dad! Nami's cussing again!" Tama called out to his father and stuck out his tongue when Nami glared at him.

"Nami," Eriol's deep baritone voice echoed from the other room. "Stop cussing or I'll bleed your mouth to death."

Recognizing that familiar tone in his voice, Nami straightened up and nodded meekly. "Yes, Daddy," she answered softly.

Eriol went out of his room, dressed in his white silk pyjamas and dark blue robe. He abruptly stopped when he saw Nami standing beside Tama. "What are you doing here, Daidouji?"

Nami and Tama exchanged confused glances. "Dad, I'm Nami," she said, looking strangely at Eriol.

He examined the girl and found that she had his eyes, the color of the sky and the ocean. It was, in every way, the color of blue. "I thought you were her without your glasses on."

"Come on, let's go to Nakuru-chan's quarters!" Tama started to the left wing with Eriol and Nami behind him.

* * *

An enraged Eriol was not a very good sight to look at, at all, the siblings decided. He was fuming, literally. It's like when you drop a handful of snow on his head, it'll melt right then and there. They both mentally thanked the deities that they were not on the same receiving end of their father's _affections_. 

"I can't believe you had the stomach to sleep," Eriol pointed an angry finger towards Nakuru, "with her crying nonstop for hours! I trusted you to take care of her!"

Nakuru smiled sheepishly at her creator. "Gomen ne, Master. I forgot to tell you that I sleep with my earmuffs on."

Eriol looked at her incredulously. "You! You haven't heard a thing! Not a single freaking sound! We were on the other side of the manor and we heard her as if she was staying next door!"

"Dad, stop yelling," Tama whispered on his ear. "Yumi doesn't like yelling people."

The creator glared at his creation, promising pure torture in his dark pools.

Eriol scooped the crying Yumi to his arms and tried his hardest best to calm her down. He rocked her, bribed her with chocolates, and promised to buy her candies and dolls but the crying continued with much force and violence.

Tiredly, he asked, "What do you want Daddy do to make Yumi stop?"

"I want Mommy," she answered shakily, accompanied with sniffing noises.

Eriol let out a grunting noise then conceded to his daughter's request. "Alright, we'll go to Mommy now."

**Tsuzuku.**

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**A/N:** Oh, all you have to do is click the** GO** button and drop me a review! I'll very much appreciate it if you tell me how you think about my work and if there are errors or any stuff you want to talk about. Thank you very much for reading! Please review! My doctor said it's good for me heart. (",) 

"There is a lot of advice on baby feeding, but almost nothing on how to help crying babies."  
-- Harvey Karp


	5. Of sleepwalking and shopping

**Disclaimer:** CardCaptor Sakura is not mine, it's owned by CLAMP. Yes, you've read right. It took me five years of therapy to finally admit that. Akira, Nami, Tama, Yuri and Yuri are mine, though. You can't sue me for that.

**Summary:** Tomoyo and Eriol's children traveled through time by a century old pocket watch that turned out to be a time turner. They traveled back where their parents were still in school, only to find out the shocking truth… that their parents hated each others' guts! So how are they going to end up together? Will they learn to love each other? Or will they hate each other more? Read and review!

**Author's Notes:** I'm so sorry for the late update. I was really busy last week! Anyways, I hope y'all would love this chapter because I do, I did. So very much. I can't say if I can update chapter six early because I still have no idea what to write. But I'll try, I hope that's enough.

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**Now and Forever**  
by **Hidden Tala**

**v. Of sleepwalking and shopping**

The loud ringing of the doorbell disturbed the residents in the Daidouji Mansion. Two maids scrambled to their feet to see who it was and open the remote-controlled front gate but they were immediately stopped by the Daidouji heiress, who was clad in a comfortable light blue spaghetti top and black night pants, standing at the staircase with Akira behind her.

"You can go back to your rooms now, Keiko-san, Mei-san," she announced with dismissal noted in her tone. "I can handle this by myself."

The two subordinates shared reluctant looks but conceded to their hostess's order. "Will you be alright, Daidouji-sama?" asked one of the maids.

"Hai," Tomoyo answered with a small nod of her head.

She waited patiently for the two to disappear from view before clicking the open button of the remote control. She and Akira walked down the stairs to wait and open the large front door in welcome for the late night visitors.

Akira woke her ten minutes ago with the news that Eriol and his siblings were near the mansion. She wasn't very happy about getting up because she was dreaming an exquisite dream about Sakura and Li-kun having hundreds of cute little babies with her as the godmother of the multitude.

"Are you sure it's them, Akira?" she asked her eldest son sleepily.

Akira yawned largely and nodded.

They waited for five more minutes until they heard the loud knocking of the door. Tomoyo opened it and found Eriol who was looking harassed with his hair all messed up and his eyes drooping in lack of sleep. He was carrying Yumi who was wide-awake, whimpering slightly in her father's arms. Tama and Nami were on his side yawning unanimously.

Before Tomoyo could say anything, Akira was already manhandling the other Hiiragizawas.

"Oh! We're here because of your smart decision about splitting up the twins," Nami spat sarcastically, jabbing a finger on her older brother's chest over and over again. "Your little sister here has been crying for two freaking hours! My ears can't take it anymore!"

Akira fell silent. Then an idea struck him when he remembered what Tomoyo did to stop Yuri from crying. "Then why didn't you just sing her to sleep?" he asked, challenging her for a smart answer, though he felt a gnawing guilt in his stomach.

Nami gave him an incredulous look. Akira looked like he regretted what he's said.

Eriol and Tomoyo merely watched the exchange of their two older offspring with their heads swaying back and forth as if watching a heated game of ping-pong.

It was Tama who voiced out his siblings' expression.

"Mum, Dad, if Nami ever volunteers to sing it'll be the end of the world!" Tama explained in a comical gesture. "You know, when she was in fifth grade, she tried to join the choir but was kicked out because her voice sounded like-"

His enlightening speech was suddenly miffed by Nami, who banged his head with a mallet she conjured. "Shut it, you midget," she warned, glaring at Tama. "The end of the world comment is enough insult to me, little_ brother_. Another word about my singing resembling a hyena and I'll make sure you'll die a slow and painful death right here, right now."

Eriol placed himself between them with a weary look in his face.

"Can't you take your petty argument inside?" Eriol said in irritation. "It's freaking cold out here."

Tomoyo unconsciously took Yumi from his arms and led them to the receiving area. Eriol, Nami and Tama slumped on the enormous sofa.

Nami stretched her arms lazily and turned to Tomoyo. "Mum, can we please stay here for the night? I'm so tired to go back to the manor," she said sleepily.

Tama nodded his head in agreement.

Tomoyo looked thoughtful for a moment. She turned to Akira as if silently asking him what to do but he only shrugged.

"Oh, all right," she said in resignation. "Tama, you'll stay with Akira. Will that be okay with you, Akira? 'Kay. Nami you'll stay beside my room on the left. And Hiiragizawa…"

"He's sleeping like a log," Akira commented dryly, jerking his thumb on his father's direction.

Tomoyo made an irritated huffing and puffing sounds like Sonomiwhen she's annoyed. "Let him stay there," she said firmly and walked to the stairs.

The three siblings shared conspiratorial grins as if they were sharing each other's brains, their small feud forgotten. Tomoyo stopped halfway and grimaced. She turned to the three and sighed resignedly. "Please help your father to your room, Akira, Tama. I don't want the maids to see him there in the morning."

She turned on her heel and went to her room.

"Nice save, Mum," Akira said, smiling crookedly. Looking around, making sure that no one was up but him and his siblings, he flicked a finger and made Eriol levitate. They all went up to the stairs.

"Night Dad, Akira, Tama," Nami said, opening the door to Tomoyo's left.

"Night," were the two boys' reply.

* * *

Tomoyo felt two small arms sandwiching her in embrace. Her amethyst eyes shot open in alarm. Why would there be two small arms? She's sleeping alone! What if someone kidnapped her and kill her and when they got the ransom? What's happening! What's going on!

She sat up straight and scanned her surroundings. She was still in her room, she noted. She looked down and found two small hands holding her, one girl on her right and another on her left. _Oh_, she thought, _it wasn't a dream after all_.

The two girls stirred when they felt Tomoyo's sudden jerking movement. The girl on her right sleepily opened her eyes and blinked innocently at Tomoyo. "Good morning, Mommy," said the girl, smiling happily.

"Good morning, Yuri-chan," she answered, smiling gently at the girl.

The other girl on her left woke too, rubbing her eyes with her hand. "Good morning, Yumi-chan," Tomoyo greeted the other girl, whose eyes were still sore from last night's debacle.

Yuri squealed happily. "Yumi-chan! You're here!"

The twins squealed together and the next thing she saw, they were all over each other. They were hugging like they haven't seen each other for ten years.

She still can't get over the fact that these two little girls were her daughters from the future. That three older more were sleeping right next to her room. And above all, she's marrying the horrible Eriol Hiiragizawa.

Her train of thought was interrupted by Tama who barged into her room, standing there in a fighting stance.

"Where! Where is the monster, Yumi-chan?" Tama asked dazedly, swaying a bit. "Tell me, where's the monster?"

Yumi blinked at him innocently. "There's no monster, Tama-niichan," she answered, looking at him confusedly.

Akira followed the sleepwalking Tama, afraid that his little brother might fall from the stairs. He found him on his mother's bedroom and heaved a great sigh of relief. "Don't worry about him, Mum. He's sleepwalking again."

"You mean he does that often?" Tomoyo asked worriedly. She once read from a magazine that sleepwalking in childhood and adolescence is a sign of emotional turmoil and pain.

"Nah," Akira said noncommittally. "He's just like that when he hears the twins crying or anyone doing that."

Tomoyo's eyes softened at the little boy. "Aww… what a big softie."

Then Tama fell, face first on the ground. Soon, he was snoring on the ground, sleeping soundly. Akira flicked his finger and levitated him to the small couch. Tomoyo stared at him in awe.

"What? I'm the son of Clow Reed's reincarnation. I ought to have some of his powers," Akira said, answering his mother's baffled look.

"What's going on in here?" came a female sleepy voice on the door.

"It's nothing," Akira told his sister, not looking up. "Tama's sleepwalking again."

"Oh, jolly good!" said Nami, rather happily than normal. "Give him nuts, he'd love that!" Then she fell flat on the floor like her younger brother.

Tomoyo and Akira looked at each other then burst out laughing.

No one (not even her siblings!) pegged that the finesse, almost Tomoyo-chan-like girl, walks and talks in her sleep.

* * *

"Can you tell me again _why_ I'm supposed to be here?" Touya asked for the hundredth time. "And _do_ tell me again why I have to associate myself with this brat," he said, pointing towards Syaoran then to Eriol, "and that freak?"

Syaoran only snorted at Touya while Eriol gave him his irritatingly Cheshire grin.

"Onii-chan, we're here to help Tomoyo-chan and Eriol-kun and their children! They can't do the shopping all by themselves! We have to help them!" Sakura sighed exasperatedly.

Touya gave his sister a bland look. "And your point is?"

"Grrrr…" she snarled, giving her older brother a cold glare. "Tomoyo-chan is family! We've got to help her!"

Syaoran muttered under his breath about Sakura's older brother being a caveman and not having a spine.

Touya glared at the Li clan head. "What are you muttering about, brat?" he glowered threateningly.

Then the glaring contest started between Sakura's older brother and her four-year boyfriend with electricity jolting between them.

"STOP! STOP! STOP!" Sakura pushed herself between the two men. "Let's just get moving so we can go home early!"

Touya made no move to walk.

Sakura was about to bolt again when Tomoyo flounced herself in front of Touya. "You can go home, Touya-kun. We can do this by ourselves, you know. Go ahead, we'll be fine," she said in a very sweet tone and gave him a puppy-eyed look that made Touya cringe involuntarily.

Tomoyo flashed him a very bright smile that momentarily blinded him.

Touya sighed dejectedly. "Oh, man. Come on, let's get this over with."

Tomoyo grinned happily at him. Nami hugged her gratefully when Touya walked ahead of them.

"So how're we going to split up?" Syaoran asked the group, holding Sakura's hand while Touya gave him a death glare.

Nami raised her hand enthusiastically. "I'll go with Dad! I'll go with Dad!"

"Me too!" Tama said.

"Uh… I'll go with Dad too," Akira said sheepishly, avoiding the question in his mother's eyes.

Eriol looked at them in complete disbelief. "Why do you all want to be with me? I don't even know the brands of clothes!"

The three shared wide grins. "The point, exactly!"

Knowing their father's gullibility in picking clothes, the three of them, especially Nami, would sweet-talk their father into buying them expensive and branded clothes. It's not like their poor but the Hiiragizawas in the future are rather thrifty, so to speak. Tomoyo would always try to haggle down the prices when she buys something and in their humblest opinion, it was a sight not to behold. Eriol and Tomoyo didn't like their children to grow up spoiled, that they'll have everything they want in their beck and call. No, they want the children to learn that in order to have what they want, they have to work hard for it. They have to reach it with their bare hands.

But, in the meantime, they can make use of that gullibility.

"Fine, I'll have the twins with me," Tomoyo conceded, taking the twins hands in hers. "We'll be at Gingersnaps if you'll look for us, ok?" She received nods from them.

Nami flung her hands to Touya's arms and announced giddily that, "Uncle Touya's coming with us!"

All of them, except Nami, could've sworn that they saw Touya's eyes glint in fear as he mouthed the single frightening word that brought chills down his spine: 'Akizuki'.

* * *

"Dad! Let's go that store! They've really cute stuffs there!" Nami pointed to the boutique called Blue Magic and dragged him there with Touya on her other arm.

Akira and Tama were following them from behind. "Dad's getting cross-eyed, look at him," Tama whispered to his older brother.

"Dad always gets cross-eyed when we're shopping," Akira retorted, adjusting the numerous shopping bags in his left hand.

"Where does Nami get her energy anyway? We've been walking around the mall for three hours! My feet hurt," Tama complained.

"Nami's always like that especially when she has Dad wrapped around in her little finger," Akira answered nonchalantly.

Tama laughed light-heartedly. "Oh, I'd say, Akira-_niichan _is jealous of Nami-_neechan_," he teased earning him a very cold glare from his older brother.

"I pity him," Akira said with a slight smile, looking at poor Touya who was all white with Nami holding him like a lifesaver. "But I love Nami more so I guess its okay."

"I can't wait here any longer, I want to eat!" Tama said. "I'll tell Dad that we'll go to Mum, ok?"

Akira nodded.

* * *

"What do you think, Syaoran-kun? Yuri-chan looks pretty in purple, right?" Sakura asked, holding out a purple dress to Syaoran's face. "It goes with her eyes and pink is so not her color, right? _Right?_"

Syaoran nodded vigorously. He was asked for about a million times regarding that dress but Sakura won't get over it. She wanted to convince herself that pink was not Yuri's color but purple. Yuri seemed to accept it now but it was Sakura who was having trouble with accepting it.

"But pink is my favorite color and everyone likes it. Why does it have to not look good on her?" Sakura mumbled to herself.

"Sakura-chan, look at Yumi!" Tomoyo's melodious voice interrupted Sakura's moping.

Sakura and Syaoran with Yuri in his arms went to the dressing room and found Yumi dressed in a light blue dress.

"Wow! I love it! Yumi-chan looks so good in that dress!" Sakura gushed, clapping her hands in effect.

Tomoyo smiled and bobbed her head to the side. "How about you? What've you got for Yuri-chan?"

Sakura looked guiltily at her best friend. "Pink is not her color," she answered gloomily as if it explained everything. "Look, it looks ugly on her."

Tomoyo and Syaoran shared a brief glance. "Sakura-chan, that's not pink," Tomoyo said gently, "That's fuchsia."

Sakura's face scrunched in confusion. "Is that so? I asked the saleslady and she gave me this. Oh well, I'll find another," Sakura said happily then walked off to the counter to ask for assistance.

After twenty minutes, Tomoyo was paying for the clothes in the cash register.

"Mu-" Tama called but a hand clamped his mouth before he could finish the word.

"Tomoyo-san," Akira said smoothly. "Eriol-kun told us to pass you the message that you are to meet them at Blue Magic."

"Oh, is that so?" Tomoyo queried, looking at the two. "Okay, can you help me with the shopping bags? They're too many for us."

"Okay," Akira and Tama replied, thinking they could handle what was in store for them.

Then suddenly the saleslady from the counter took out five carts of shopping bags.

It was enough for the two brothers to make their eyes bulge out from their sockets.

* * *

Nami did that huffing puffing sound when she saw the five carts of shopping bags that were owned by her two baby sisters. She accusingly looked at Tomoyo who innocently blinked back at her. "I can't believe you bought them five carts of shopping bags and I only got two!"

"What's your problem?" Eriol wearily asked his daughter. "I bought you clothes, your girly stuff _and_ that awful smelling perfume! What the hell is wrong with you!"

"The twins got five carts and I've only two!" Nami argued huffily.

"Shut up, Nami," Akira said acidly.

Tama muttered about Nami having a "Touya Overdose" under his breath.

"But-"

"If you dare say a word again, I'll bash you!" Her older brother growled in irritation.

Nami snorted in derision. "And what makes _you_ think I'm afraid of you, you bloody idiot?"

"Okay, okay," Tomoyo placed herself between the bickering pair. "No more fighting, you guys. We'll just shop next week, okay? So, where are we going to eat?"

There was a pause from the group as they recovered slowly from the fight.

"Yellow cab!" the two older siblings said in unison. Then they stared at each other, smiled widely and the next thing they saw, Nami was already hugging her older brother and he was returning it. When she drew out the embrace, the two of them were grinning maniacally like idiots.

_What kind of people_, thought the inhabitants of the present, _could swear and threaten each other one minute, then hug and laugh at each other the next?_

The Hiiragizawas, the one and only.

**Tsuzuku.**

* * *

"Whoever said money can't buy happiness simply didn't know where to go shopping."  
-- Bo Derek

"I love to go shopping. I love to freak out salespeople. They ask me if they can help me, and I say, "Have you got anything I'd like?" Then they ask me what size I need, and I say, "Extra medium."  
-- Stephen Wright


	6. A walk home

**Disclaimer:** I'm only a girl with a colorful imagination. CardCaptor Sakura is not mine though I'd want it to be.

**Summary:** Tomoyo and Eriol's children traveled through time by a century old pocket watch that turned out to be a time turner. They traveled back where their parents were still in school, only to find out the shocking truth… that their parents hated each other's guts! So how are they going to end up together? Will they learn to love each other? Or will they hate each other more? Read and review!

**Author's Notes:** I'm sorry for the delay. I had a terrible block but I'm trying to piece the puzzle together. Again, I'm sorry. Here's chapter six. Enjoy!

* * *

**Now and Forever  
**by **Hidden Tala**

**vi. A walk home**

"Just what the hell is wrong with those two?" Akira asked, mildly irritated at his parents' dysfunctional behavior.

Syaoran Li gave them his infamous 'don't know, don't care' shrug as he watched the two figures walk ahead of them. But he cared, he thought to himself, he cared a great deal. His friends – though he'd rather be trampled by burning elephants than admit he thought of Hiiragizawa as friend – meant a lot to him, especially Tomoyo.

Being Sakura's boyfriend, he automatically became closer with the prim Daidouji girl and over the years, the bond strengthened. He looked out for her as any older brother would to his younger sister. He protected her from her countless suitors – that it was as if emptying an ocean with an eye dropper – from malicious gossips, and sometimes, from herself. He knew he loved her.

"Syaoran-kun, why are you brooding?" A soft hand worked its way to his tensed shoulder and it miraculously loosened under the touch. He looked at the girl beside him with large green eyes. Oh yes, he may love Daidouji Tomoyo but never as much Kinomoto Sakura.

"I was just thinking about that Economics exam we'll have tomorrow," he said, his unsmiling mouth curved to a grin.

"Mum and Dad are acting strange," Tama observed, studying the distance between his parents. "Is one of them sick or something? Why are they walking a meter apart?"

Sakura dramatically sighed. "They've been acting like that since class started. I don't know what happened between them but they used to be so close. Like me and Syaoran-kun."

Nami goggled at the new piece of information. "What do you mean like you and uncle? Did they have a relationship before?"

Akira frowned at that. "They never told us anything about that."

"No, it's not like that. Hmm, how do I put it… they were always together. They were… inseparable." Sakura's eyes softened at the last word. They used to be like that too, she thought sadly. Syaoran noticed the change and studied her in the corner of his eyes. "They were often teased because of that closeness but both of them shrugged it off. She told me she never thought of Eriol-kun as boyfriend potential."

Akira and Tama chuckled at the statement while Nami analyzed the whole situation.

"What happened before class started?" she asked, wanting to know.

"It's-" Sakura started but was immediately silenced by Syaoran.

"It's not our story to tell," he said firmly, almost stiffly. He avoided everyone's stares even Sakura.

Akira narrowed his eyes at the Chinese boy. He knew there's something fishy going on with those two and Syaoran knew. He'd get that information out of him whatever happens. He closed his eyes in deep concentration and when he opened them, his used to be deep purple eyes changed to glassy gray. Seeing this, both Tama and Nami tried to distract him by arguing with him telepathically, knowing how their uncle's known for his bad temper. But he ignored them and continued to stare at the back of the head of Li Syaoran. He saw an opening, a moment of defenselessness, and wrapped himself around the mind of the Li Clan leader.

Surprisingly, there wasn't anything inside it except one single word.

Mizuki.

_Stop poking inside my head_, a cool amused voice boomed in Akira's mind. _You won't get anything from me except that. Ask your no-good-sense of a father. _

Akira muttered streaming foreign curses at the failed attempt. But he won't be defeated, he couldn't afford to.

"And don't even dare try her head," Syaoran said laughingly. "You won't get anything there but me."

Though it came out as a joke, he knew his Uncle Syaoran meant it. There was an underlying threat behind that tone and he wouldn't try to test Syaoran's power. Tempting as it was, he wouldn't.

"Who's Mizuki, Aunt Sakura?" But that didn't mean he couldn't ask her directly, right?

"She's our teacher way back elementary. She also helped me with the Cards," she answered absent-mindedly.

Nami adjusted her eyeglasses and looked crossly at her older brother. "Nakuru-chan thought we're Mizuki-san's children when we arrived at the Manor last week."

"Oh, I remember that. Dad looked squeamish when she mentioned that name," Tama added.

Sakura and Syaoran shared a look and resolved to keep their mouths shut. Akira caught that look and probed further. "Why would Nakuru-san think we're that Mizuki person's children?"

"I told you, don't ask me. Ask your father." Syaoran walked briskly, dragging Sakura along with him.

And Akira would do just that. No matter what it takes.

* * *

Tomoyo Daidouji walked alone in silence. She always wanted a moment of peace and quiet in her walk home so she usually disentangles herself from the group. So when she heard a familiar clearing of throat beside her, she immediately tensed.

"So, how are the boys with you? They're giving you a hard time?" She heard him say, some three feet away.

When had he gotten there?

"No, they're wonderful," she heard herself say, in that cool, impersonal voice. "They gabber a lot but they miss their sisters – though they'd rather die than admit that to themselves."

He chuckled silently and dared to look at her in the corner of his eyes. "The girls miss them too. The twins talk about them every night. They miss you too."

He watched the hardened expression melt and find himself relaxing at the sight. "It's a good thing that we switched them with Tama. No one would be there to look after them in your house when we're in school and you'll have bags underneath your eyes."

"Three-year-old twins could be handful," she said in a gentle tone, smiling unabashedly. "But I love them as if they're my own."

They're yours, _ours_, he thought, raising his brow in amusement. "Yes, I love them too."

Then the smile froze in place and it was immediately replaced by a scowl that didn't go well with her pretty face. The word love and the way he said it, with so much warmth and meaning, punched her heart with a cold, brutal fist.

"If there's anything wrong with the children, please do inform me, Hiiragizawa-kun." The business-like tone in her voice was back in place and so was the cold, impersonal mask on her face. "I'm sorry for being rude but I'll be going ahead. You can tell the others that I suddenly felt ill. Bye."

He watched her pace grow then turned right to the corner that led to her house.

Last week, when all this time-traveling stuff erupted, she'd been speaking to him either irately or in irritation. He didn't mind, not really, since it was the only time she'd spoken to him this year. He understood she felt jittery and the nerves got into her that time. And it was out of her control. But by Merlin, it was out of his too.

Then he realized he enjoyed seeing her manhandled by fate. When he saw her cool and icy façade broke, he felt it was like the old times. He easily saw what she felt because it showed on her face. The transparency, that familiarity, he didn't knew he missed it, until now.

She was cold, maybe not as cold as ice, but she was and it tore his guts out. He made her that, he knew he did. But it wasn't his fault, he reminded himself though a nagging voice in his head screamed otherwise, it wasn't his fault that he's in love Kaho.

And her at the same time.

He glanced behind him and saw Sakura and Syaoran and the three Hiiragizawas four meters away, looking back at him. He stifled a sigh. He turned left at the corner, opposite of the girl he talked to awhile ago, and headed to the Hiiragizawa Manor.

* * *

"You know that when I hate you, it is because I love you to a point of passion that unhinges my soul."  
-- Julie de Lespinasse


	7. Interrogations

**A/N:** I know I need to be shot for keeping you guys hanging but here's chapter 7 so please spare me! p  
**Dedication:** This chapter is dedicated to the readers out there who didn't give up on me though it took me a while to update. You guys made me believe that I'm not hopeless after all. Thank you.

**NOW AND FOREVER**  
Hidden Tala

**vii.** Interrogations

"Mum," Akira called out to her after dinner.

"Yeah?" she answered without looking at him. She was too busy looking for her favorite cookies in the fridge.

"Can I have a moment with you?"

He said it so seriously - so ridiculously like Sonomi when about to cancel a family trip - that she suddenly looked up, cookies forgotten. She strode to the dining table and took the seat beside her eldest son.

"What's bothering you, Akira?" she asked worriedly. "Are you all right?"

_Way to go, Mr. Subtle,_ he mentally chastised himself. He sat up straight trying not to fidget and looked around nervously.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "You're in trouble aren't you? You're dad always does that when he's done something wrong."

"He does what?"

"Straighten up, stiffen his back or twitch his nose. You Hiiragizawas are so predictable," she said, rolling her eyes in the process. "So, what happened? What's eating you?"

Akira was having a hard time finding the right words to say to her. What's he going to say? Mum, I found out that some Mizuki person's involved with dad, what happened to them? Where do we fit in? Would he really put his mother through that?

"Mum, do you love dad?" he asked, surprising even himself.

Tomoyo made a face and he knew the answer. Sensing her son's disappointment, she squeezed his hand gently. "Well, we're not on speaking terms but we're… friends. I actually don't know why and how we'll manage to end up together in the future but now that I've come to know you, and Tama, and your sisters… I think it might not be so bad to be married with that bumbling idiot."

His deep mauve eyes smiled at her. He squeezed her hand back.

"Whatever happened to you and dad, anyway? Aunt Sakura said you two were close back then."

She stared at him in disbelief and shook her head. "And sneaky too, do not forget sneaky."

"What did I do now?" he asked in a suspicious too-innocent tone.

"You were just having me on about that question earlier to find an opening to your original question," she said accusingly. "I can't believe I walked right into that."

He grinned wolfishly. His mother sure knows her men. "Mum, just answer the question."

Tomoyo sucked in a deep breath then scratched her head. "What do you want me to say?" she asked sheepishly. "I'm not exactly sure what happened to us. All I know is that he suddenly had to go somewhere and left all of us here. And there was no us, by the way. I just want to be clear."

"Who is Kaho Mizuki?"

He saw her purple eyes harden at the mention of the name. But it was momentary that no one would notice unless they really looked. And he did.

She forced herself to smile but was miserable at it. "She's our teacher in elementary. Why do you ask?"

Akira was unsure if he'd tell her but he did. "Nakuru-san mentioned her name when she first met us. She thought we were that person's children."

He could have sworn he saw a nerve pop in her temple. But she maintained a calm face and she was smiling a little too happily that it's scary to some degree.

"Mum? Are you all right?"

"Yes, but are you?" She surprised him by her question. "You must be really hurt when you heard about it."

"I don't know, Mum. I don't know what to feel anymore."

She surprised him even more when she threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. He heard her sigh and he held her tighter to give her comfort.

"I love you, you know," she whispered to him. "And I'm so glad that I have you as my son."

"Love you, Mum. I'm glad you're my mum too."

**Tsuzuku.**

---

**A/N:** Too short, I know. Plot bunnies aren't bugging me these days. But you lovelies could give me ideas with your reviews, you know. See you all on the next chapter.


	8. Finding Out What Happened

**Shameless Plugging:** If you're so tired of waiting around for this fanfiction, try reading my other story titled Could It Be? I woud really appreciate it if you check that one out. Thanks so much!

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**NOW AND FOREVER  
**by **Hidden Tala**

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* * *

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viii. **finding out what happened**

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* * *

  
**  
He was playing _shogi_ in the garden with Haru-kun, Sakura's firstborn, when he thought he heard a familiar voice scream. He casted a bewildered look at his opponent but the little boy didn't seem to hear anything. He shook his head to clear his mind. Maybe he was just imagining it.Haru took his _hisha_ with a _kakugyo_.

Akira shook his head in dismay. _Haru-kun's playing dirty_, he said to himself, _he's sending screaming voices in my head to distract me._

He was about to move his token when he heard that voice again.

"Would you stop that?" he told his playmate. "You can't beat me by cheating!"

Haru blinked his green eyes, obviously bewildered. "Who's cheating?"

"You're sending screaming voices in my head!"

"How do I do that?"

"Onii-chan!"

Akira looked up and found his little sister crying inside the glass sliding door. Both him and Haru scampered to their feet, the board game completely forgotten. When he got to his sister, he saw her shaking like a leaf and hugged her little form.

"What's wrong, Nami?" he asked, patting her back. "Why are you crying?"

Nami suddenly made a jerking movement and let go from his embrace and dragged him and Haru upstairs.

Akira suddenly felt something cold touch the back of his neck. He found that he didn't like the feeling.

Nami led them inside their parents' room. He found his two-year-old brother sleeping peacefully in his crib. He didn't find anything out of the ordinary except-

"Mummy," Nami cried shakily when she opened the bathroom door.

There she was bathrobe-clad, abnormally pale, lying flat on the floor. And there was so much blood.

"Akira-kun!" Haru yelled at him when he only stood watching the whole scene.

He ran to his mother and leaned in her chest to hear a heartbeat. He sighed in relief when he heard it.

"Nami, call an ambulance. Hurry up!" Nami scrambled away in panic.

"Haru-kun, call my dad and Aunt Sakura."

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to find the person who did this to my mom!" He stormed away angrily.

* * *

"Ne, Akira-kun, I wonder why you're so protective of Tomoyo-chan," Nakuru remarked, observing him at the corner of her eye.

It took a lot of prodding and poking for Tomoyo to stay the night with the Hiiragizawas at the Manor that Friday evening. In the end, she reluctantly agreed with the condition that Eriol will stay ten feet away from her. The latter smiled benignly at her which irked her more. Akira and Tama naturally went with her to spend time with their sisters and their father. And now all of the Hiiragizawas, with the exception of Akira, are huddled in their mother's bed listening to a bedtime story. Even Eriol was lurking in the corner of the room.

"Really?" He sounded surprised. "What made you say that?"

Nakura shrugged. "You're always looking at her. If she weren't your mother, I'd say you're in love with her."

He nearly choked on his own saliva. "You're insane. What's Dad feeding you these days?"

"Oh, the usual. Dog food and fish bones," she joked which earned a laugh from him. "Really, what's gotten you so protective of her? Even Eriol-sama's noticed."

Akira unconsciously glanced at his mother. Tomoyo saw him and she waved. He smiled.

Turning to Nakuru, he said, "Something happened to her before, in our time, and it's changed me forever. She had a miscarriage and nearly died because of it. I can still remember there was blood everywhere and Nami couldn't talk for weeks. I never saw Dad panic before but when he found me running in the streets, I thought I saw him cry."

Nakuru was shocked at the revelation. She wasn't prepared for anything like it. "What were you doing running out on the street?"

Akira's lip curled in an embarrassed smile. "I thought Mom was attacked. I looked everywhere to find the bastard who did it but Dad found me on his way home."

"What happened to Eriol-sama?"

"When we got to the hospital, it was as if Dad wasn't the same person I was with in the car. He was composed and calm in contrast to the frantic look I saw him in when we were alone. He carried Nami who was crying the whole time and comforted grandmamma when she broke down. He was the rock. But I knew better than that."

He then turned his head to his father who finally got to the bed beside his mother, telling stories that would have made Yamazaki proud. His mother wasn't too happy.

"I found him in the chapel that night. He was just staring in space and I sat beside him. And I promised him that I would protect Mom whatever happens. I wouldn't let harm come to her anymore. And I cried like the little boy I was and he just made a mess of my hair and said that I shouldn't cry. He said, 'You're a big boy now, Akira. You're a big boy.' And we just sat there together staring at the altar."

Nakuru looked like she would cry.

He sighed. "But Dad, in this time, is so different from the dad I know. He's a… jerk. I've seen him with Mom and I didn't like what I saw. He… he doesn't love her. How is it that he's my dad? The Dad I know would give up his powers, his everything, to see my mom happy. He'd kill himself when he knew he'd hurt her. But he's so different now."

"Just give him time, Akira-kun," Nakuru said gently. "Their love story won't happen until the next four years. Give them time."

"That Mizuki person is ruining it for all of us," he vented in a whiny voice.

Nakuru scrunched her brows. "I don't know what happened to them but it was Eriol-sama who broke it off. We went to England last year; Eriol-sama took a break from school. I thought we were staying there for good but when we got there, he immediately met with Mizuki-sensei and that was the last of it. He didn't see her again."

He couldn't help the brimming of hope swelling in his chest but he still asked the question, "But what took you so long to get back to Japan?"

"I don't know. I think he was testing the waters – testing if that's what he really wanted. Maybe he just wanted to be sure he doesn't want to get back together," she said, ponderingly. "And England was our home. I didn't even think we'd go back here."

"Is it possible that Dad came back for Mom?"

She shrugged casually. "Eriol-sama's fond of Japan. I remember him telling me that there was always something pulling at him to go back. He didn't know what it was."

"Like fate? Dad doesn't believe in that kind of rubbish."

"Eriol-sama used to be the most powerful sorcerer in the world, of course he believes in that kind of rubbish. Besides, if he doesn't, we wouldn't be here right now. We'd still be in our apartment in Oak Street if he didn't act on that pulling force. "

"Maybe you're right," Akira conceded. "I just wish that Dad has a crush on Mom. It'd be easier that way. It's elementary but that's how it works, I think. It develops into something more and the next thing you know, you've got babies."

Nakuru gave him a mysterious smile.

"What?"

"Oh, don't you worry yourself about Eriol-sama not crushing on Tomoyo-chan," she said in a sing-song tone. "Don't you worry."

"He's crushing on her already?!"

Nakuru pouted. "I don't know but I think I heard him call out her name in his sleep, more than thrice, mind. And it's not as if it's a friendly 'Tomoyo-chan' or a polite 'Tomoyo-san', it's 'Tomoyo' with the strongest passion I heard from him."

He made a face in disgust. "Please, I don't need a full blown account of my father dreaming about Mom that _way_."

Nakuru laughed hard. "Oh, you really are your father's son."

**Tsuzuku.**

* * *


	9. The Truth

**Now and Forever  
**by **Hidden Tala**

**

* * *

**

**Author's Notes:** An early update. I hope everyone's happy. And for the reader who wanted an Eriol-Tomoyo interaction, this is for you. Now give me some fetching review and make me happy.

* * *

**ix. the truth**

* * *

She was humming that strange tune she heard from Tama the other day. She smiled to herself. That little boy could dazzle anyone with his voice that she couldn't help the bubble of pride swell in her chest. _He's going to be a famous musician someday_, she thought with a smile.

She was last to leave from the group because of choir practice. And she was last, too, to go home because she insisted on practicing by herself for the upcoming competition. Their choir adviser was worried to leave her alone but she politely assured that she's going to be fine. And now she's humming Tama's tune as she trudged alone the empty school grounds.

She sighed.

She knew she shouldn't have stayed so late but she got caught up in practice that she forgot the time. She stopped walking home alone since Akira and Tama lived with her and she realized she liked it better when she was flanked by the boys. She felt safe, somehow. But she asked them not to wait on her today. She regretted that decision.

"Tomoyo-san," greeted a cool, smooth voice behind her.

She felt her back stiffen. She knew that voice.

She heard the nearing footsteps and willed herself to move. But she was frozen in spot. She felt her knees tremble in fear.

"Tomoyo-san," he spoke her name, some two feet away.

She jerked involuntarily. She schooled herself in a forced smile and turned to face the intruder. "Shigekazu-kun, I didn't know you were still here."

The tall boy stepped closer. She instinctively stepped back. "I waited for you, Tomoyo-san. I'd like to walk you home, if you don't mind."

She smiled weakly. "My friends are meeting me at the park. I'm sorry, Shigekazu-kun."

His gentle face twisted in a sneer. He looked dangerous now. "Then I'll walk you to the park. And please call me Kotaro from now on."

"I'm really sorry but I don't feel comfortable, Shige—Kotaru-kun," she pleaded, avoiding his gaze. "I'll go now. I'm really sorry."

She was poised to run but he lunged after her and took her by the arm. "Tomoyo-san, why do you always run away from me?"

She was shaking now. And her other arm was beginning to numb in his tight grip. "Please… You're hurting my arm…"

But he didn't listen.

"I'm not letting you go anymore," he said huskily. He settled his other hand on her waist and brought her closer to him. She squirmed from his hold but he stubbornly kept her in place. She tried to knee him but he twisted her arm.

"You're hurting me!" she cried, trying to push him away. "Please, please stop this. Please just let me go."

"I'm not going to do that," he replied in a leer.

He brought his face closer to hers and her eyes widened in horror. He forced his mouth on hers and she cried in repulsion and fear. She pushed him but to no avail. The boy was strong.

"Help me!" she thought she heard herself scream.

And so many things happened after that. The next thing she knew, Shigekazu was on the ground and another boy was panting in front of her. Her savior.

Shigekazu stood up, wiping the blood off his mouth. He sneered at the other boy. "Oh, it's you. Tomoyo and I were just having a happy couple moment. Thanks for ruining it."

"Touch her again and die."

She gasped. How could it be him?

Shigekazu's lip turned up cruelly. "A threat, Hiiragizawa?"

"A promise," he said coldly.

Shigekazu laughed mockingly. "You think you could take me, Hiiragizawa? You're sorely mistaken. I could break your face in a second."

She imagined Eriol smirking at his opponent. "Don't test me, Shigekazu."

Shigekazu lifted his arm to strike Eriol but he caught it.

"I should've let Akira break your arm then," Eriol said thoughtfully. He smirked at the boy who attacked the girl who was the mother of his children. "But I guess it's really my job to do that."

"No!" She cried at Eriol. "Please just stop this! Eriol, don't do anything rash!"

He whirled at her in anger. "You expect me not to break every bone in his body after what he's done to you? What kind of man do you think I am, Tomoyo?"

She was crying hard now. "Please, Eriol! Just let him go! I'm going to report it to the principal tomorrow, I swear! I just want to go home! Please!"

He growled in frustration and let Shigekazu go. But in one impossible moment, when she blinked her eye, he punched Shigekazu right on the nose and knocked him out unconscious.

"Eriol! What did you do?!"

"I hit his head. I need to, at least, do him some damage," he answered gruffly, still keeping his back to face her. "He'll wake up in a few minutes. We better get going."

"Okay," she said shakily. She hesitated for a moment but she said it, "Would you… Would you take me home, Eriol? I don't think I can walk alone."

Eriol finally looked at her. She was still shaking. "I'm taking you to the Manor, Tomoyo. I'm taking you home with me."

She looked defeated. "I'm tired. Take me wherever you want. I'm just so tired."

He stared at her in surprise. He expected her to argue. Taking in her shaking form, he understood.

"Can you walk?" he asked gently. "Do you want me to carry you?"

She shook her head. "I'm just a little shaky but I can walk. Thank you for saving me. Thank you, Eriol."

He took her hand and surprisingly, she let him. "You won't see him again, Tomoyo. He won't come near you anymore. I promise you that."

"Thank you," she repeated and cried silently as they walked.

* * *

"Akira, take Tama with you to the Manor. Pack some of your things. You're spending the night at home," he talked to the phone.

"What's going on, Dad?" She heard the confused question of her eldest son. "Are you with Mom? She's not back yet."

"She's here. I'm taking her home with me," he answered. "Someone tried to…"

"Someone attacked Mom?!" Akira nearly shouted.

"Calm down," Eriol reproached. "I'll explain later. Just go to the Manor now."

She heard Akira took three calming breaths. "Okay, we'll be there in fifteen minutes. Take care of Mom."

Call ended.

"They're coming," he told her as if she didn't hear.

Tomoyo gave him a weird look. "I know. I remember you did put your phone in loudspeaker."

Eriol raised a brow at her. They weren't holding each other's hands anymore. "You seem to be okay now."

"I stopped shaking a few moments ago," she told him. "I'm okay now."

He stopped walking. She turned to him. "What?"

"Why were you with Shigekazu, Tomoyo? What were you doing with him?"

It sounded more like an accusation to her ears. She turned red in anger at the insinuation.

"I wasn't doing anything! He cornered me! And attacked me!"

"Then what were you doing in school?! It's past seven!"

"I was practicing! I asked sensei to use the music room for myself! What's your problem?!"

They were shouting now.

"You knew that it's dangerous for you to be alone! Didn't you know that I had to pummel every stalker who attempted to harm you one year ago?! Why didn't you ask Akira to wait for you?!"

"You stupid, arrogant, prig! One year ago, you ran off to England to be with Mizuki-sensei so don't slap me with your lies!"

Eriol shook her shoulders. "I went to England to break up with her! I came back for you!"

"Lies! I don't want to listen this anymore!"

"I told you I loved you," he said, willing himself to calm down. "And you said you didn't believe me. You ignored me for weeks. I went to England to prove to you that it's true."

Tomoyo shook her head. "You were my best friend. I didn't know what to say to you. I didn't know how I felt. And you suddenly left. But it's all too late now. We shouldn't talk about this anymore."

"You're right," Eriol replied bitterly. "It's too late."

They continued to walk in silence. But she broke it moments later.

"How about you, Eriol? What were you doing in school?"

Eriol took a sharp look at her. "You screamed inside my head and I ran myself ragged to get to you."

"How is that possible? The screaming-in-your head part?"

"I don't know and it doesn't matter."

"Okay," she said reluctantly.

"I'm offering you a truce, Tomoyo," he suddenly told her. "I don't want to be a stranger to you anymore. And I don't want to argue with you like my life depended on it. We could be friends again, for old time's sake. And for the kids."

"Yes," she agreed. "For them. I can tell that they're worried about us. But that's everything I can give you, Eriol. That's all you're going to have."

"I didn't ask for more."

"Good."

There was complete silence. Both decided that it was better to leave it that way.

**

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**

**A/N:** Reviews speed up updates. Gimme some. And tell me what you think.

* * *


	10. What Happened Before

**Now and Forever  
**by **Hidden Tala**

**

* * *

  
Author's Notes:** I am on fire. Haven't updated this often for ages, huh? Yeah, I know it's too short but I hope this'll make you happy. Don't forget to review! :D

**

* * *

  
x. what happened before**

**

* * *

**

"I'm in love with you."

Her mauve eyes crinkled and her mouth turned up in amusement as she waited for the coming punch line. She waited and waited until the sangfroid that was Eriol cracks. But it never came. Instead, those mysterious azure eyes remained unblinking and focused on her that she fought the urge to fidget. She shook her head with a nervous laugh as if reassuring herself that he was just bluffing. Then she raised her eyes and gasped at the tormented look in his eyes.

"Y-You don't mean that," she sputtered, shaking her head. She looked at him again and she thought he suddenly looked older, as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders.

"Of course I mean it," he said it so harshly that it made him wince. "I'm sorry I just… I just-"

"B-But you have a girlfriend! You love her!" she argued, her eyes screaming at him. "You love Mizuki-sensei, you don't love me. Please, Eriol, you're my best friend. Please, take it back."

He avoided the pleading and anguished stare she was giving him. He began to pace in the empty classroom. He can feel her eyes following him, tempting him to take it all back. He knew he would do anything for her, die for her, lie for her... but he could never lie to himself. He wanted to throw things, to punch someone, to hurt himself for ruining it all. Doesn't she know that it's killing him too?

He stopped pacing and turned to her. She stared back, her pleading eyes nagging at him. And he sighed. "I want to take it back but I can't. I can't lie to myself anymore. This isn't something I can turn off on a whim. I'm in love with you, Tomoyo. You break me into pieces and you send me so high I lose myself."

He thought he heard his heart crack when she cried.

"What's going to happen to us now?" she asked brokenly. "What's going to happen after this?"

He looked away, ashamed of himself. "I don't know. I really don't know."

And she was suddenly marching towards him, her eyes blazing in fury. "What do you mean you 'don't know'? Didn't you think that it would ruin our friendship and your relationship with Mizuki-sensei? Didn't you even think how I'd feel, Eriol?"

He clenched his fists in anger, in helplessness. "I didn't ask for any of this, Tomoyo. Kaho was destined for me. She's the woman I'm going to marry. But you happened to me. I didn't ask to fall in love with you but I did. I don't want to lose you, Tomoyo."

She cried as if her heart was breaking. He watched the rising and falling of her shoulders. He watched the pouring tears escape her eyes. Each teardrop was a bullet to his heart.

"You're my best friend, Eriol," she said in between hiccups. "You helped me get over Sakura-chan and you let me bully you when I'm lonely. I don't want to lose you either but… I can't even look at you anymore."

"I'm not asking you to feel the same way, believe that," Eriol said helplessly.

"I believe you," she answered instantly. "But we can't go on as if nothing's happened. I don't want to betray Mizuki-sensei. I can't."

"What do-"

"I don't know. I'm confused," she said softly. "Maybe it is best that we don't talk for awhile. I'm sorry, Eriol."

"Wait a min-"

"Please, let go of me," she said, sobbing.

He let her hand go as if he was burnt. And without a backward glance, she left, with him watching her long ebony hair flying behind her.

**

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**

**Author's Notes:** Review, why don't you?

**

* * *

**


	11. What's Happening Now

**Now and Forever**  
by **Hidden Tala**

* * *

**xi. what's happening now**

* * *

"What's going on?"

She felt her father's aura even before he reached the Manor's gates but she had been utterly confounded when she sensed that distinct aura of her mother close by. She knitted her brows in confusion as she looked left and right at her parents' direction.

"Mum, what are you doing here?"

Her father sent her a reproachful look making her clamp her mouth shut. She resisted the urge to stick out her tongue. She knew he turns harpy when she does that.

"I'm tired," she heard her mother say in an I-don't-want-to-talk-about-it tone. "Let's talk about this after I get some rest."

She sent a meaningful look to her father who was busy studying the girl beside him. "Dad?"

He lifted his eyes to meet hers and she was surprised by the anger she saw in them. "Your mother is right. Let her get some rest. Take her to my room. I'll just call Sakura to tell her mom that she's sleeping over."

"I can't take your room," Tomoyo argued weakly. "I'm just going to sleep at the twins' room."

Nami snickered. Eriol shut her up by sending the You-better-show-some-manners-young-lady glare.

"They're sleeping with me."

"Dad, that's just so wrong in so many levels." Nami tried to stifle a laugh but couldn't. "What? It's funny."

Tomoyo, who was gloomy seconds ago, joined in the laughter.

"Are you quite done?" Eriol spat in annoyance.

"Stop annoying your father," Tomoyo mock-scolded, her eyes finally showing some life. "The old man doesn't have a sense of humor."

Eriol was glad to see it but he held up a front. He stared t her intensely then shook his head in an afterthought. "So that's where you got it from."

"Got what from?" Tomoyo bobbed her head to the side in confusion.

"Not you, her," he said, pointing at Nami.

"What is it, Dad?"

"Your sick and corny jokes. You got it from your mother."

Tomoyo looked appalled and ready to defend herself. Eriol answered it with a raised brow and a challenging stare.

"Dad, you're watching Barney with the twins," Nami deadpanned.

He growled. She saw her mother shake her head in amusement.

"Anyway, are you okay now, Mum? Are you hurt or something?"

"I'm okay. I-"

"WHERE'S MOM?!"

They all swung their head in the direction of the bellowing voice.

Nami clucked her tongue in disapproval. Her father looked amused. Her mother hid behind Eriol, covering her face, afraid of the newcomers.

Akira marched to the living room, panic in his eyes. Tama followed suit looking more composed but worry marred his young face.

Eriol heard her heave a defeated sigh behind him. She went out from her hiding place and inhaled before pouring out her speech.

"I'm okay. I'm not hurt. Your father got to me before that person did something untoward to me," she explained wearily, not giving Akira the chance to say his piece. "I'm okay, Akira. Do not fuss. _Please_."

"But—"

"Stop harassing your mother, Akira," interrupted the authoritative voice of the head of the Hiiragizawa family. "You can grill her later after she gets some sleep."

Akira felt his back stiffen at the command. It was the tone his father used that meant his word is law and it is final. He wanted to argue but Eriol Hiiragizawa is not and will never be his match. If he was protective of his family, his father was ten times better than him. And because of that, he respects him.

"Yes, sir," he mumbled.

* * *

It had been more than hour since she woke from her slumber and the Hiiragizawas are still hovering above her, asking her so many questions all at once. Eriol conveniently excused himself after a heated argument with Akira about the bruise he found on her arm. So she was left alone with the pack of exasperating, inquisitive wolves.

"I've told you this time and time again, I'm fine," she whined, aggravated. "My arm doesn't hurt that much. Akira, cut it out. Go to your Dad and apologize for your bad behavior."

Akira stared at her in suspicion and disbelief.

"What?" she snapped in irritation.

"You're defending Dad," he said reluctantly. "That's very odd."

"Mum, are you still in shock?" Nami asked not hiding the surprise in her tone. "Are you sure you don't want a doctor?"

"I'm _fine_," she moaned, and covered her whole self in the blanket. "If somebody asks that again, I'm going to scream!"

"All right," came the angry voice of Eriol at the doorway. "Get out of my room right _now_."

The Hiiragazawa children, including a reluctant Akira, filed a single line by the bed.

Yumi was giggling beside his twin while Yuri looked like she was about to cry. Tama had taken a sudden interest on the ceiling. Nami was fidgeting beside her older brother. And Akira was trying to keep a straight, unafraid face. Their father hardly uses that tone to them. And when he does, things aren't usually pretty.

"Stay where you are," Eriol ordered when he saw Tomoyo moving from the bed.

Eriol was seething, anyone could tell. And the siblings were relieved to find that it was not because of them. Maybe Akira, but that's one out of five.

"Nami, take your sisters in your room," Eriol barked, making Nami scramble to her feet, taking the twin's hands in hers.

"Daddy, can I sleep with Mommy today?" asked the little voice of Yumi. "And Yuri too!"

Yuri was sniffling, obviously aware of the tension inside the room. Eriol knew that his daughter was an empath but he couldn't control his temper when he gets this angry. That's why he had to excuse himself earlier when Akira found the bruise on Tomoyo's arm. He was not angry at his son. He was angry at himself for not noticing it first. He was angry because he couldn't arrive earlier.

He squatted to pat Yuri on the head. He breathed in her power to help him soothe his nerves. The little girl let out a pleased sigh. "Maybe tomorrow, Yumi-chan? Mommy needs to have her rest tonight and she can't have that when you're both kicking her sides."

Yumi pouted then giggled babyishly at him. "Daddy, you're funny. Kicking is for frogs. And Jackie Chan!"

Yuri finally broke out a smile and hugged her father. "Do that again, Daddy. My hair feels funny."

He patted her again and hugged the twins. "Okay, follow your sister now. And go to sleep early. No more Barney shows, please."

The pair of identical faces pouted at him. Nami sighed in relief.

"Come on, brats, you heard what Daddy said." Nami took their hands and started to march outside the room.

"Akira," he bellowed, making the rest of them wince. "You and your brother will take the rooms in the left wing."

"Yes, sir," Akira grumbled.

"And don't pester your mother again," Eriol warned.

"I won't, sir," he grumbled again.

They all made a move to leave, afraid to face the wrath of their father. Until—

"Umm, wait." Tomoyo reached out a flinching hand to them. "Umm, don't I get a good night kiss before you go?"

The Hiiragizawa children and Eriol himself looked at her in surprise. Then the kids shrugged their shoulders.

The boys, Akira and Tama, trapped her in a bear hug while Nami was squealing because she didn't get there first. Nami squeezed her mother in a tight hug and kissed her on the cheek. The twins voiced their complaints because they were last.

"But Mommy," Yuri complained in her baby voice. "Why can't you get a kiss from Daddy too?"

Everyone stared at her, waiting. Eriol was going green.

She smiled shyly. "Maybe because Daddy's the one getting a kiss from me?"

Akira and Tama coughed their laughter. Nami hooted for her father. The twins didn't care.

"Daddy," Yumi whined, "don't just stand _there_."

"Are you really four years old?" Eriol muttered to himself, walking towards the bed.

"Daidouji," he said when he reached her.

"Hiiragizawa," Tomoyo returned in a shy-awkward tone. "You can call me by name now. You already did that back there."

Eriol nodded stiffly. "And you as well."

"Is this how they court a person in Dad's time?" Tama whispered to his older brother. "Why can't I see the Hiiragizawa charm?"

Akira smirked. "Because, brother, it doesn't exist."

"They're so lame," Tama commented, eyeing his parents. "Back at home, they'll be jumping at each other right now."

"At least we could still keep our rating PG," Akira replied. "And shut up. Dad can hear us."

"Eriol," she said after clearing her throat. "Thanks for today. You saved my life."

Again, he nodded. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it."

She nodded too.

"This is lame," Nami remarked as she watched her parents together. "All you do is nod and be polite with each other. Mum, you said you're gonna kiss him!"

"Okay! Okay!" Tomoyo exclaimed, flushed. "Umm, Eriol, could you look away?"

Eriol sent her a suspicious look. "You're not going to take your clothes off, are you?"

"Just look away!"

"All right!"

Tomoyo knew that she owe him so much. So much that she offered him a truce. And now, her trust. She did not expect for everything to go back to normal because he hurt her and no one's ever hurt her like that before. But she couldn't deny that there is something that draws her to him. Maybe it was the children. They connect her to him. Sometimes she feels that there's something more. Maybe fate. But she didn't believe in that.

She touched his cheek, startling him in the process. But he calmed down when he felt her make circular patterns with her thumb. She was biding her time, she knew, despite the impatient looks her children were giving her. But she didn't know what to do. She moved closer, removing her hand on his face. And closer, until her face was on his cheek. She could feel her own breath hot on his cheek. She only had to lean forward and let it happen.

"Thank you," she whispered before kissing his cheek.

She could have sworn Eriol sighed when she did it.

* * *

**Author's Note:** God, that felt so good. I hope that made you happy. Took me a year to get that together. I'll be back, I promise. Don't give up on me yet! :)

And while you're at it, drop me a review. It keeps me going.


	12. The Impenetrable Li Syaoran

**Now and Forever**  
by **Hidden Tala  
**

* * *

**xii.** **the impenetrable li syaoran**

* * *

"There's something strange about this scene," Sakura whispered to him once they reached the foyer in the Manor

"It's not just strange." He stared openly. "It's abnormal."

The reincarnation of Clow himself was running around in circles with a laughing toddler straddled on his shoulders. Somebody in a giant potato costume was running after them, arms outstretched, reaching for the child on Eriol's back.

"I'm going to get you, Yumi-chan," threatened the giant spud. And it would have been convincing if the potato didn't wheeze it out in her soft and girly voice. "Eriol, don't run so fast!"

"You can do it, potato girl!" Nami rooted, waving a flag from the sidelines which basically means the couch. "Go get that freak with the glasses and that little brat with him!"

"Hey!" Eriol yelled, panting a little.

Nami slumped in her seat, pouting. "It was only trash-talk, Daddy! I still love you!"

Akira complained about her lack of loyalty. Tama was still clapping for potato girl. Yuri looked bored.

The little girl slipped away from the couch, unnoticed by her squabbling siblings, and went to the spot where the visitors where frozen into. Yuri stayed close to her uncle by hugging his legs which made the teenager uncomfortable.

"Uncle Syao-Syao," she called in her sweetest voice, tugging at his pants. "Why do you look like that?"

Syaoran reached down and scooped her in his arms. "Why do I look like what?"

Yuri slapped both her small hands on his cheeks and leaned into his face. "You're funny."

Sakura pinched the girl's cheek. "Aww, you're so cute, Yuri-chan."

Yuri giggled then reached for Sakura's arms.

"You know," the little girl started in a high-pitched tone, "you know, Uncle Syao-Syao is thinking about the potato eating my daddy. He's _so_ funny!"

Syaoran stared at the girl, studying her, while her back was turned to him. "A mind reader, great."

Sakura looked excited. "Can you read my mind too, Yuri-chan?"

Yuri frowned at her, confused. "I don't know."

"But you just did," Sakura insisted, pointing at her boyfriend. "You read Uncle Syaoran's mind just now."

"No." She shook her head in a cute way. "Uncle Syao-Syao is happy because the potato is eating my daddy."

"But Yuri-chan, how did you know he's happy?"

Yuri creased her brows together, exasperated at her uncle and aunt.

"She's an empath," Syaoran answered now, enlightened. "I was wrong. She can read emotions. And as a side benefit, she can also find the cause of those emotions."

But Yuri was already bored with them. "My mommy is missing. I can't find mommy anywhere."

"No, she's not," Sakura assured, rocking her, when the girl sniffled. "Maybe she's hiding."

Yuri pursed her lips and knotted her brow. "But why? Did Mommy do something bad?"

"Maybe because she looks ridiculous when she runs," muttered silently, earning him a hard elbow from Sakura.

Sakura turned to the purple-eyed girl and smiled. "Maybe she wants to surprise you, Yuri-chan."

The little girl brightened at this. "Really? I wish she gives my daddy a kiss again. It makes me tickle."

The couple's eyes widened at the annunciation. "Yuri-chan, did you just say that your mommy kissed your daddy?"

Yuri gave them the patented haven't-you-been-listening? Sonomi Daidouji look. "Uh-huh."

"When?" Sakura squealed in excitement, bouncing in anticipation. Syaoran looked contemplative.

"Night time," Yuri answered flippantly, playing with Sakura's hair.

Then the girl fixed her gaze to Syaoran. "Uncle Syao-Syao, you make my head hurt. Stop it."

Syaoran was startled. Then he cleared his mind and grinned wolfishly at her.

* * *

"I give up!" cried the giant spud that was lying on the floor. "I give up! I can't breathe!"

Eriol, finally realizing that no one was following him, stopped on his tracks and put her daughter down to attend to the large potato. The remaining people in the room rushed to the scene to help the person out of the costume.

"Did we beat the potato monster, Daddy?" Yumi asked curiously from behind.

"Yes, Yumi," he grunted as he tried to pull out the head of the potato. "And I think we killed her too."

"Is she dead?" Tama whimpered fearfully when they found the body unconscious.

"Mum!" Nami cried, shaking her sides. "Mum, wake up!"

"Daddy!" Yumi shrieked in terror. "Mommy is the potato monster! We killed Mommy!"

"No, we didn't, Yumi. Calm down," Eriol soothed her as he swept the limp body from the floor. He turned his head to his eldest son. "Akira, get her some water!"

The Hiiragizawa heir nodded and ran to the kitchens.

"She told you not to run so fast," Syaoran reproved, his eyes blaming the head of the Hiiragizawa family. "You know how she hates running."

"Syaoran-kun!" Sakura hissed, rocking the sobbing Yuri in her arms.

"She insisted to play the 'it'," he answered dangerously, not appreciating the head of the Li Clan's intrusion.

Nami and Tama exchanged worried glances.

Eriol gingerly placed the unconscious Tomoyo on the couch. Then he faced the daunting figure of Li Syaoran.

There were so many things, so many words that played within the boy's mind. He didn't have to do anything to pry it open because it was laid out for him. As if the impenetrable Li Syaoran wanted him to read his mind. He became heady with all the confusing information. He wanted to pull himself out of it until it centered on in the memory of that fateful day when he told Tomoyo he loved her. He knew because she was wearing that yellow headband he gave her that morning. But this isn't his memory. It was Li Syaoran's. And he was looking at her in Syaoran's eyes – of her tear-streaked face as she wept all alone on the rooftop.

"_Here,"_ _came Syaoran's_ _voice beside her, handing out a handkerchief._

_She jumped in surprise then frowned at him. "When did you get here?"_

"_I was sleeping in that tree when I heard some noise," he said, evading her question, as he pointed at the tree adjacent to their school building. "I found you up here. I figured something was wrong."_

"_Take it," he persisted, putting the hanky in her hand. _

_She reluctantly accepted it and dabbed it at her eyes. _

_When she didn't say anything, he sighed. "You know you can tell me anything."_

_Still, nothing. _

_It irked him. He didn't have that much patience especially if it the person wasn't Sakura. "What did he do now?"_

_It got him the reaction he wanted. She recoiled, as if burned._

"_Nothing," she told him in her meekest voice. "He didn't do anything at all."_

_But he knew better than that. "Is it about Mizuki-sensei being jealous about you?"_

_She gave him a soulless stare. She didn't say anything. But her eyes told him that she wished it had been like that._

The memory stopped and changed.

_It was an hour before first period and it was only him and Tomoyo who were in the room. He saw himself seated behind the girl who was ignoring him as if he didn't exist. He saw his face wear a mask of calm. But his eyes glinted in something achingly close to pain. Then those eyes suddenly wandered, sensing an intruder observing him. It met Li Syaoran's smoldering gaze. _

"_Hiiragizawa," Syaoran's voice boomed from the doorway. "A word?"_

"_Good morning, Syaoran-kun," Tomoyo politely greeted. _

_Syaoran nodded at her direction._

Before he knew it, he was exchanging heated words with him at the hallway.

"_I'm going back to England tomorrow," he said finally. "I'll leave her to you."_

_Syaoran had his hand fisted on his collar, seething in uncontrolled anger. "She's not a toy that you can give away when you decided that you're tired of her."_

_Eriol's eyes flashed instantly. He yanked Syaoran's hand out of his neck, making him free from his grasp. "You don't know what you're saying."_

"_Then enlighten me," Syaoran snapped at him. _

The memory stopped there. Then everything turned black. Before he knew what was happening, there was a flash of light. In that light, he saw Tomoyo's many faces put in fast forward – of her surprised look when their homeroom teacher announced that Eriol Hiiragizawa moved back to England, of her pained expression when she turned from her seat and didn't find him there, of her sad smile when their classmates talk about him, of her somber face in choir practice, of her sullen eyes at lunch. As he watched the outpour of her images, he finally realized what the other boy was saying.

_You did this to her_, Syaoran told him in his mind.

In his anger, he couldn't help saying it out loud. "You still don't know what you're talking about."

The other people in the room stared at them in confusion. They had been watching the non-talking exchange between the two. And in the past five minutes, none of them had talked.

Syaoran put a weary hand to his eyes, breaking their connection. He turned his gaze to Akira, who suddenly materialized beside Eriol, holding a glass of water.

"Do not test me," Syaoran warned his nephew.

"This is between him and me," Eriol seconded, giving his son a glare. "Do not interfere."

Akira looked like he would argue but Syaoran already brought his eyes back to Eriol.

"You don't deserve her," Syaoran pronounced gravely.

He took a deep breath and sighed, the anger leaving him. And dejectedly, he nodded.

"I know."

* * *


End file.
